Secrets and Lies
by Da'khari
Summary: Sam and Mercy were end game, everyone knew it, but an accident, and a web of secrets and lies are destined to keep them apart - has other glee characters in too - I own this fic
1. Chapter 1

**Secrets and Lies**

 **Puck**

Life had been hard for Puck, he'd climbed all the way to the top, getting his blockbuster part in Men in Black 7 almost as soon as he finished his rock album and that had carried him for a long while, he became picky with his work and nothing was good enough after that. Time had took it's toll and he'd ended up like every other has been actor, fishing for B grade adverts and the odd appearance here and there with people trying to remember what he'd been in.

At the height of his career he'd married Quinn, something that was always on the cards for them and when her books were selling and his acting was bringing in the money things were fine. Suddenly 20 years had gone by and she was standing, in a social house in Kentucky looking at an intoxicated Puck, living off charity and handouts from her older brother.

"The rent's late again" she snapped after him in reply to his question

"It shouldn't be you've got nothing to spend money on now the kids have gone" he barked back

"I guess you don't even know how much you actually spend on alcohol" she snarled

"You need to get off my damn back" he spun round saying making her step back for how fast he came at her "You're constantly nagging me"

"Nagging you?" she asked catching her breath "We've got final notices on every damn thing and you call that nagging?"

"What can I do about it?" he asked "Every damn day I wake up you're piling the fucking pressure on and then you wonder why I drink, fuck sake Q" he looked around the room saying "And what the fuck are you doing here, don't you have a home, are you paying into this place or something?" he looked at her friend kitty asking

"I'm just..."

"Get the fuck out if you're not the solution, you're part of the damn problem" he shook his head in the direction of the door saying

"Puck" Quinn shouted across the room "Leave her alone"

"Now I don't have a say in my own damn house" he rolled his eyes saying, walking over to her purse and taking what he needed

"Puck" she ran over to him saying struggling with him to get her purse back and retrieve her money "Puck, it's for the bills, give it back"she stood with her hand out waiting

"Fuck this" he pushed past her leaving her spinning as he went to their achievement wall and pulling everything down "What the fuck was all this for?" he shouted as he slammed them to the ground breaking the frames

"You walk out now and I won't be here when you get back, that's a promise" she shouted at him, he knew she meant it, but right now if he stayed he was going to lay hands on her and he'd rather leave her than do that, he opened the door and walked out. Leaning on the door taking in the response he'd just given her to her ultimatum, he could hear her crying and as much as he wanted that sound to touch his heart enough to make him go back in, he couldn't

"He needed time out, they both did, he was on his way to his local, but on second thoughts he booked a coach ticket to Lima, he needed time out, and when he needed that he was destined for home.

 **Sam**

Sam had married a then pregnant Rachel years back, she'd gotten pregnant and forced the issue, he'd been a successful model for a long while, having not taken up the college route his options were limited. She'd had that Funny Girl thing which didn't last long due to her frequent absences and opted to be a teacher when she finally finished college, four years later.

They'd had a rocky time, she'd miscarried the baby at just over three months, a month after the wedding, which was a very traumatic time for them, it really tested their relationship, but they got through it, Sam dived into modelling and Rachel dived into college, she'd been further troubled with depression when they found out she couldn't have children, she had a hard time coming to terms with it, blaming Sam for everything, which had created a distance

"You were in that damn spot when I left this morning" she wolfed at him as she walked into the house looking at him reading Vogue for Men "What the hell are you still pinning all your damn hopes on modelling for, you need to jump into reality Mr, those day are gone for you" she laughed "What you need to do is find a damn job to bring some money in"

"Yeah so you keep saying, but if you remember, it was your idea that I, forget study and take up Modelling to make quick money for..."

"Yeah because it's always my damn fault" she rolled her eyes saying

"Sorry" he looked at her saying "I could just do without the judgement every time you come into the house"

"In case you haven't noticed, I have a right to moan we need the money" she laughed "By the way I'm off to a teacher conference next week for three days"

"And we need money?"

"They pay for the hotel" she told him sitting down

"But they don't pay for all the damn extras do they?"

"Me going is not doing you out of anything, and damn it, I need the time away" she sat forward saying

"Lucky fucking me, being subsidised by my rich working wife" he said throwing his magazine down, before getting up and leaving the room

"I need to get away from your shit too" she shouted after him

"Me too" he turned to say cutting his eye at her "I'm going down the road" he said grabbing his coat and he walked out the door "Don't wait up" he shouted through the shut door

"Well that went well" she stood watching the door saying

 **The Bar**

"Blaine" he walked in smiling as he saw his friend sitting at the bar "Long time, you're back" he walked up to him saying as he stood up to greet him

"Sam" he smiled "Dude it's good to see you, I would have passed by but..."

"Yeah I know, she's still the damn same too" he laughed, Rachel didn't like him to meet up with the old crew, she kept saying they kept them stuck in the past, by past she meant back when she was fertile, had the world in her hands, was having their child and now she had none of that she didn't need the constant reminder of what she'd lost. The last time Blaine and Kurt had been in town together maybe 9 years ago, for some reason they'd visited unannounced, Sam ended up sleeping in their hotel room with them for the disrespect she showed. "So you guys still in New York?" he asked

"Well Kurt's just got something come up here in Washington and we might be there for four years so, we just sold up, we're in Lima for a few months" he told him

"Lima" he said as memories flooded back

"Yeah we're just closing on the sale of our place, then it's bye bye New York"

"So what you're off to Lima tonight?"

"I am, in about four hours" he patted his back saying "Drink?"

"Yep a whiskeyl" he smiled as they got into conversation, relaxation and laughter "You know what I didn't realise how much I missed the old times, I might come to Lima for a few days, I need the environment change"

"I'm sure some of the others will be there, someone's always about" Blaine laughed as they downed their fourth drink

"Right it's a plan, I'll see you in a day or so" he finally got up saying "Your flight" he told him looking at his phone

"Shit" Blaine jumped up saying throwing the last of his drink down before hugging Sam "Tomorrow" and he was gone

 **Lima**

Conversations were had and Sam had announced his time out, much to Rachel's disappointment, he'd packed a bag and booked his flight to go spend time with his friends and family. Puck had took the cowards way out and called Quinn as his coach moved off to tell her he was going to Lima.

 **Sam**

"Mike" Sam shouted elated when he saw him standing at the airport waiting "How did you know..."

"Saw Blaine last night when we both got in, he told me and I'm excited to see you guys" he said looking behind him

"It's just me I'm afraid, she's still got her thing" he told him knowing the word had got round about her damn behaviour

"Boys weekend of madness" he rubbed his hands together saying

"I need something like that" he smiled as they left the airport and found a bar

"Only a few tonight for me Tina's in town too, but tomorrow is set aside my man" he knocked fists with him saying

"You and Tina?" Sam asked shocked

"Well we finally got it together about 5 years ago and so far it's all good"

"Good for you, I guess I need to go see the parents you know, say hello and stuff so, that's it for me too" he said pushing the glass away from him after drink three

They jumped in a taxi, Sam dropped Mike off and carried on to go see his parents, it had been at least thirteen years since he'd found any time to do anything away form Rachel, her depression had taken over their lives for the past maybe 15 years. Babies were out and seeing as his siblings had children, she didn't want to know, most of their friends also had children and he watched as their social life slowly withered out. Every time she heard about someone else having a child, or even a child doing well, she'd go back into her depression, usually ending with an attempt at her life and he'd mop up the mess, but through it all she kept up the teaching job, those children had no effect on her. It had slowed down once the family children started to grow up but recently, Steve had announced his first grandchild on the way and about three weeks ago she'd gone off on one again, he was past pissed, he didn't sign up for this, now after almost 16 years of that life he wasn't feeling guilty for wanting time out.

He walked into his parents house and almost flew at them for how much he missed them, if it had been left to him they would have lived in Lima, but he had a wife and he needed to take her feeling, needs and wants into consideration "Mom" he finally got out crying "I missed you guys" he held on for the longest time before he realised they were holding on harder than him

"Good to see you son" his Dad finally replied, it was an emotional reunion

"Put your bags away" his Mom said once she let go

"In a bit" he told them as he made his way up the stairs to visit his old haunt "Shit" he smiled as he walked through a time zone into his school days bedroom

His eye caught the picture of him in the playground looking at Mercy sitting on the bench as he gave her his sexy white chocolate smile "Ha" he laughed out loud as the feelings came rushing back, Mercy wasn't in the picture, of course she wasn't but she was there in his head he giggled before catching himself

He looked up to see him in his prom suit, with his red rose "It's a prom miracle" he laughed as he looked again Mercy was missing out the picture but he could see her standing next to him with her blue dress on looking all shocked "Praise" he laughed hearing her talking now too

A picture of his desk, he saw next looking at it in some detail looking for an etched name, gum or something, puzzled when he saw nothing, as he looked on to see himself young, happy and sweating standing with a pair of drum sticks in his hand "Nationals" he smiled singing quietly to himself _'but I still haven't found what I'm looking for'_ throwing his hand up in the air as if he still had the sticks "Oh" he looked back at the desk "Cream rising to the top" he smiled remembering the kiss

He looked on his bed to see his Avatar DVD sitting there smiling at the times he'd made her sit through the damn thing on a technicality, they'd argue about concepts and really get into it, _she was always beating me on that damn game,_ he looked at his out of date PS thinking.

He opened his draw to put his underwear in and found a picture of them standing in church, she'd just finished telling God she wanted me, everyone had clapped her decision and I was looking like the cat that got the cream, he laughed at the reality, that sex never happened, but he loved her he knew on that day that he loved her "Why, Miss Mercedes Jones?" he asked himself throwing his clothes in the draw

He got the banter over with his parents, freshened up and announced he was popping out on his way through the house

"Here" his Dad shouted throwing him the key "We're not waiting up for you to get in" he laughed

"Thanks" he said wiggling to make the catch and exit the house

 **Puck**

Quinn had insisted she was gone, she'd told him even when he returned they were not going to be husband and wife and in all honesty, he was alright with that, her drama had reached peek for him. She'd moan about money then go out and spend like she was still getting thousands of dollars for her damn book, then it was his fault because he couldn't magic any more money out the air for her to keep up with the whoever the fuck it was she was keeping up with. They'd had to move out of their house because she insisted on buying a five bed mini mansion on their second wage and of course when money dried up they couldn't afford the extortionate mortgage, somehow that was his fault.

He sat on the coach finally feeling like he could breathe, he smiled even because he thought he'd forgotten, how to do that. In his entire life there had only ever been one woman that got him enough to make him think he could down all his guards and be who he really wanted to be, he smiled again feeling funny that after all this time he should think about her again. Maybe it was because he was making this trip back to Lima, hoping to see some old faces but definitely getting back some memories

That day when against all odds, she agreed to be his girl, he knew she knew there was an agenda and at first there was, he'd never taken any girl seriously, he'd never had to but Mercedes Jones came along and sort of gave him some morals. He laughed at how she'd begging him to stop throwing dorks in the bins and at first he hadn't listened but when she dragging him around by his damn lip he knew something had to change.

He'd got to the point where a kiss wasn't just a kiss any more, he'd have to grab a girls attention first, pay her some attention first, learning that had to be a feeling as well as had a reason. He remembered her sitting in the choir room stressing about some damn fool diet Sue had put her on and, recollected their talk in the nurses station when he told her she was sexy as hell and there was no need for her to do anything about that booty she was carrying because Sue was jealous "And I'm going to call you Sexy Mama every time I see you to remind you how sexy you are" he smiled saying

"Tickets please" the bus guy said, he realised they'd stopped, took his ticket out and showed it before sitting back down to his thoughts

"Empire State of Mind" he said god did she come out singing that with some gusto _I was proud I'd done that for her_ he grinned and she was so own it, he fell asleep with that smile on his face, if there was anything he'd ever regretted in his life it was not treating her right, he actually loved her like a sister, maybe more, and missed her. "How did my life get to this?" he asked before his eyes finally closed

"Sorry is this seat free?" he woke up to some guy asking him, looking up he saw an old man reminded him of Will so he smiled moving across to let him sit "Thank you" the man smiled before sitting down "hope you don't mind me saying" the guy looked at him "You were having a right go at your Mrs" he laughed

"I was?" he sat up asking looking around the seats he could see to see everyone looking at him

"Yeah I just wanted to say, I've been there, and if you're where you think you are in that get out, don't waste time trying to fix something that's always been broken"

"You know when your young you see what you want and nothing and no one can move you, you don't think what you want could ever be bad for you do you?" he smiled "I wanted my wife, I love my children to death but I find myself at my time of life lonely, how can that be?"

"Easy if you have a consuming partner"

"I didn't actually realise I was being consumed" he giggled "But your right I have been"

"Everyone's allowed to make decisions good or bad, it's how we deal with them that makes the difference, life's too short" the man smiled resting his head on the back of the chair ready to sleep "I'm still fighting some of my demons" he smiled closing his eyes

Two hours later and the coach came to a halt, the two men woke up and smiled at each other "Going to look at a plan to rectify my situation" Puck told him

"Think time is always at the start of every well planned battle" he laughed

"I'm not ready to face the family just yet" Puck smiled, grabbing his luggage and stepping off in the direction of the local bar, one of his favourite haunts since school days "Nice talking to you"

"Have a good life" he smiled as Puck watched some woman run up to the guy and him catching her, bringing his mind straight back to Quinn

 **The Bar**

"Sam" he shouted looking at the bar "Of all the..." he said as Sam jumped up hugging him

"I know, I met up with Mike earlier, we're out on the town tomorrow, you must come" he said before pulling away "What are you doing here?"

"I guess I'm looking for an answer" he smiled

"I know how that feels" Sam told him rubbing the back of his neck

"You need to talk too?" Puck asked watching Sam rub his neck

"Like a mother fucker"

"Me too, I mean we're still living above our means because she refuses to acknowledge that work has dried up for both of us, we're on stamps for fuck sake and every damn week, it feels like, her brother sends money" he called the bartender saying "She doesn't seem to think that does anything for my pride" he looked at the barman "Two shots please"

"Make that four" Sam added

"She's asked me to leave, and seriously I'm on the brink, I didn't think giving up was something I'd ever do, I made a promise and everything but hell Dude, this shit is rough" he grabbed his shot and threw it down his throat

"You don't need to tell me about walking, Rachel, as you know didn't manage to carry our first and then we found out she couldn't conceive and Dude have I suffered for her fuck up" he took his shot saying "I call her the big depression now, it's covered me too I have no damn life, I don't even get to see my family because my siblings have children and it's not her thing" he said as Puck grabbed his shoulder "Imagine only knowing your nieces and nephews via photo" he told him a tear coming to his eye

"We messed up, for two fly white guys" he laughed

"Love of my damn life" he smiled at Puck saying

"You know, I didn't know till much later my man, but she was pretty high up on my pedestal too"

"It's true isn't it?" he looked at Puck asking

"What's true?"

"You only get one true love"

"That's why the lady is a tramp Dude"

"A what?" Sam almost got up saying

"Our song Dude, before your time, we did a duet because I was trying to get her to go out with me, I needed my mojo back" he laughed "We sort of got together but she used the time wisely, she made me look at myself, I guess that's why I took Loren so serious when I finally got what she meant, and she was a dear friend" he went back in memory for a second "She became a friend, she played with Santana in a sing off about me, she had fun, we laughed about it even, and I confided in her when I found out about the baby situation with Quinn, she knew me you know the real Noah, not many people did"

"I've got so many memories of that woman I could talk for a week" Sam laughed "Starting at secret meetings, through to fighting to get her back" he laughed "I took her to the auditorium once, put her name in lights and we sung Human Nature" he giggled

"With a kiss to follow I bet" Puck laughed

"You guessed it" he laughed "Living together in New York" he said his mind obviously reliving the experience "She sung Colorblind to me there"

"She was fly, I thought you guys were it"

"She came back for me, but by that time, well that day actually, the same day Rachel announced the baby"

"Sorry Dude, I regret not listening to her, she told me I'd love the dream of Quinn forever but if I needed someone to stand by me I should choose Loren, I didn't listen, I thought I was the luckiest man in the world" he rolled his eyes saying "If I couldn't have Quinn I guess Mercedes should have been my next choice" he smiled "I knew she was yours Dude" he laughed "Don't get smug"

"Rachel knew I loved Mercy, she knew I never loved her, not like that anyway"

"Quinn probably knew that too, Rachel and I had pillow talked it once, you're not telling me your wife didn't open her mouth on that" he laughed "Do you ever wonder what life would have been like had we taken another path?" he asked calling for four more drinks

"Probably not Dude, you guys had babies, she'd have cut her off, Quinn knew nothing" he threw another drink down saying "I miss her smile, those damn phrases she always came out with, like hot mess, hell no" he said making them both laugh "Her voice, the kind of love she gave me you know?"

"Her words of wisdom" Puck added "To Mercy" he held his glass up saying Sam didn't hesitate to hold his glass up he missed that woman, they sat reflecting on life in Lima to life in their parts of the country now drowning their sorrows

"Fancy one?" Puck asked looking at the guys doing their karaoke "I haven't in years but no one knows us" he smiled

"Why not, one for Miss Jones yeah?"

"Yeah" they jumped up to go look in the book for a song, minutes later giving their choice to the DJ and were called up in no time, singing their rendition of

 _ **'King Of The World' by Blue**_

 _ **Puck:**_ _Take me back to the time, we would talk all night, those healing words I've never heard, put my world to right  
She told me you don't see what I can see, this life is full of possibility, she gave me more than gold, gave me all I need, without her I'm a poor man_

 _Chorus_ _ **Both**_ _  
I'd be the king of the world, If you were by my side 'cause when you gave me your love, I was the richest man alive  
Now I'm broken, hopin' you'll come back in my life, I'd be the king of the world, If you were here tonight!_

 _ **Sam:**_ _Remember when way back then we'd lie there in the dark, my best friend, we said we'd never end  
As we looked up to the stars, she showed me how to be all that I could be, broke into my heart and set me free  
She gave me a reason to believe, without her I'm a poor man!_

Chorus **Both**

 _ **Both**_ _  
Oooooh oh Oooooh oh come back in my life  
Oooooh oh Oooooh oh I need you here tonight, without her I'm a poor man!_

Chorus: **Both**

 _ **Both**_ _  
I'd be the king of the world, If you were by my side_

"Guys" they heard, over the clapping looking down to see Mr Jones standing in front of them

"Mr Jones" they jumped off stage saying, going for a hug "So nice to see you again" Sam said as he pulled away from him

"Likewise" he said looking more at Puck than Sam, which was odd because, Sam almost lived at his house when he and Mercy were seeing each other

"How's Mrs Evans?" Sam enquired of the family

"She's good" was all he said

"Drink?" Puck asked as they went to sit back down, waving for the bartender to provide more drinks "We were just remembering Mercedes" he looked at Mr Jones saying

"Yeah we were thinking about her today, missing her singing around the house" Mr Jones laughed saying "Even laughing, sitting in the den playing games with you guys, video nights everything, even crying over you" he looked at Sam saying

"Cookie maker" Sam laughed

"Yeah" Puck laughed at the memories

"Someday we'll be together" Sam finally calmed down saying bringing a quiet to the group

"It's been 21 years today since she's been gone and she was 21 too" her Dad said looking at the floor as he spoke "It was just getting too hard to be at home you know" he looked up at Sam and Puck saying

"I didn't even realise it was 21 years, I wonder if that's what brought up here subconsciously?" Sam looked at Puck asking

"Something did" he shrugged his shoulders saying

"Sorry I didn't get back for the funeral Rachel was..."

"What?" Mr Jones looked up at him saying "What funeral?" he asked looking between Puck and Sam for an answer

"Rachel told me she'd die..."

"She didn't die, she lost her memory, everything wiped out, every damn thing"

"She didn't die" Puck said looking between Sam and Mr Jones

Puck and Sam's eyes met for the longest time as they sat wondering why their wives would tell them she'd died if she hadn't "I don't even want to ask myself the damn question" Sam sat saying "So where is she?" he looked up at Mr Jones asking

"She's doing fine, she's where she needs to be, happy, and I'd prefer you to leave her alone" he looked at Sam saying

"You're saying that like all this is my fault, I didn't know any of this" he got up saying

"Sam" Puck jumped up grabbing his shoulder saying "It's Mercy's Dad"

"Sorry Mr Jones, it's the shock" he sat down saying "For 21 years I've thought she was.. well wasn't here and Rachel's led me to believe that"

"Quinn too Sir" Puck added

Sam and Puck sat through the pleasantries with Mr Jones for a few more minutes, not broaching the Mercy situation out of respect, eventually Sam was fit for bursting and excused himself saying he needed to get in before his parents went to bed. Puck suddenly remembered that he hadn't even told his Mom he was there yet so technically he had nowhere to sleep yet, they bid him goodnight and left the bar, exchanging numbers before grabbing cab's and promising to meet up the next day

 **Puck**

Puck was mad as hell when he got in the taxi, how the fuck was Quinn going to lie to him like that, for what god awful reason did she think that was necessary. He knew Rachel had something to do with this, he'd told Lentil he'd loved Mercy more than he loved his sister sometimes years ago, and that she'd told him to choose Loren, and he knew that damn woman had put her nose in where it didn't belong. That's why Quinn had treated him like he was some second class citizen because she knew if he'd have ever took advice from Mercy he'd have chosen Loren "Bitch" he said looking up to see his family home in view "Just here" he told her cab as it pulled up he paid the fare and smiled for seeing the light on, knocking the door and bracing himself for her welcome "Mom" he said when the door opened to see Cooter Menkins standing there "What the fuck are you doing here?" his face ready for the fight "You better not be treating my Mom like you treated Coach, I'll fucking kill you" he stepped past him saying

"I was young and foolish then and she'd try any man" Cooter followed him in saying

"I don't give a shit what you were, don't let me hear you even speak to her out of fucking turn" he spun round telling him

"Noah" he heard spinning him round to see his Mom tears already down her face "Where the fuck have you been?" she grabbed hold of him asking "I missed you" she told him still crying

"Mom" he pulled her off him saying "I missed you too, but I had a bath already" he laughed as she pulled him back in

"He's a pussycat, he wouldn't dare put his damn hand on me, you know I'd chop that fucker off" she laughed looking at Cooter as she spoke. Conversation and alcohol went on into the night, he got up the next afternoon to a text telling him where everyone was meeting from Sam

 **Sam**

Sam sat in his cab crying with anger, his life had been fucking heart breaking all because, his first love had been killed in some damn car accident in Ohio, he had no intention of staying with Rachel once she'd lost their child, he'd stayed with her because he knew there was no way Mercy would have let him do anything else. Yes they'd split up but they always knew even when they weren't together they belonged to each other, but he couldn't ask her to wait after this. He'd gone into this thing with Rachel because there was a baby on the way, he'd mourned Mercy, it had served him right for his constant bed hopping and he'd held it. But now to think that she knew Mercy was still alive and not tell him was unforgivable, he smiled, she knew he'd have been off at the first opportunity she was scratching her own damn back, but it had made him resent her and now all he could think when he thought about his wife was hate "Can we come back from this?" he asked himself "Fuck it, I don't want to come back from this"

He jumped out the cab at his house and smiled at the thought of sleeping in his bedroom after all these years, the idea of Mercy having spent many a night in there giving him a thrill, he lay in his bed thinking concluding, _that's why I've never fully committed, she's still around_

The next thing he knew it was morning and while he sat in the kitchen eating his breakfast with his family for the first time in many years, his phone pinged it was Mike sending him details for the meet up later, he smiled as he sent the details to Puck, he'd be stoked to see him there. Mike had chosen one of their old haunts, the pool rooms, they always found it easier to talk and sort stuff out in that room, he guessed it was the treat of the person holding the stick, being able to whack it off your head for dissing them, that made them take things serious in there. He spent time with his family, called his siblings to see if they could get down for a hot minute, and went out to see Mike

 **The Pool Room**

Sam walked in to see Blaine and Kurt attempting to play a game, he laughed Kurt was still the same, all this stuff was pants to him "Kurt" he laughed walking towards him "Nothing's changed" he hugged him saying before going over to a laughing Blaine "Guys it's good to see you"

"You too if anything you're more distinguished" Kurt laughed looking at Sam with his hair pulled back into a neat pony tail and unshaped facial hair

"And you're more Kurt" he laughed hugging him again "What are you guys doing here?"

"Just hanging"

"I'm expecting Mike, we're meeting here, I saw him for a hot minute yesterday"

"Hot minute?" Kurt asked "Mercy still on your damn mind Dude, I thought you married Rachel?"

"I did"

"Sorry Dude but she turned out to be a right you know what" Kurt looked at him saying

"No sorry needed, she ….." he went to say but was interrupted

"Guys" Mike walked in saying arms open

"Mike" they all shouted together grabbing hugs

"Special guest" he said looking back at the door where they watched Artie speeding in "He's gone electronic" he laughed as they moved out the way of his classic shin dig

"Dudes" he said as everyone crowded him when he'd stopped

"Lets grab a table" Blaine suggested seeing this was going to be a session, looking around for a table he saw a familiar frame peeping from the far booth "is that..." he walked over to the booth asking as everyone stood watching him "Fuck it's Puck" he shouted back at everyone

"Oh that's my surprise" Sam told them as everyone rushed over to see him

The drinks came, food was ordered and the group sat catching up on the past maybe twenty years, getting as familiar as they were all those years ago

"I miss you guys" Mike told everyone

"I know" Artie agreed "It seems like Rachel lost the baby, Mercy passed and everything just went to pot, it should have brought us more together, I thought we were stronger than that, I get the girls they were all bitches to each other but us" he looked around the saying

Puck and Sam looked at each other uneasily "We saw Mr Jones last night at the bar, he sort of told us..." Puck said looking at Sam

"He told us Mercy hadn't passed, she's lost her memory"

"What!" everyone said to them looking from one to the other

"Where is she?" Kurt jumped up asking "She was my best friend, why did they not tell me?"

"He said he didn't want us to see her, he wouldn't tell us" Puck told them

"I don't understand, surely if she's lost her memory seeing us might have helped bring her back?" Artie asked

"Apparently she doesn't even remember them, her family I mean" Sam told them "It's been 21 years yesterday"

"21 years?" Blaine gasped "Where's life gone?"

"There was something about the way he told us he didn't want us to see her that made me want to find her" Sam told them

"With your history I guess you'd have wanted to see her anyway" Blaine smiled at Sam saying

"Guys that's what I do for a living, like Ironside but no blood and guts stuff" Artie announced

"Yeah right" Kurt looked at his saying

"Honestly I find people for inheritance really, but it's the same principles"

"Did any of us do what we said we were going to do when we were back in school?" Puck asked

"Well I wanted to marry Sugar or Tina so no" Artie smiled

"Tina was supposed to be mine" Mike piped up looking at Artie "Instead I got a quickie wedding to a random and an even quicker divorce once we decided after 11 years we didn't even like each other" he smiled "But 5 years ago I connected with Tina again and well I'm happy now"

"We got each other" Blaine looked at Kurt saying

"I sort of got what I thought I wanted" Puck smiled "But Mercy proved me wrong, life hasn't been how I thought it would be, but I don't feel like I can close the book on it yet"

"No" Sam told everyone, they just looked they knew what he meant

"I'll definitely see what I can find out about the Mercedes thing" Artie said sending a quiet over the group "What will you do if she's happy?" he laughed before he started singing and slowly everyone joined in

 **Happier" by Ed Sheeran**

 **Artie:** Walking down 29th and park, I saw you in another's arms, only 10 years we've been apart, you look happier  
Saw you walk inside a bar, he said something to make you laugh, I saw that both your smiles were twice as wide as ours  
Yeah you look happier, you do

 **Sam:** Ain't nobody hurt you like I hurt you, but ain't nobody love you like I do  
Promise that I will not take it personal baby, if you're moving on with someone new

 **All:** Cause baby you look happier, you do, my friends told me one day I'll feel it too  
And until then I'll smile to hide the truth, but I know I was happier with you

 **Sam & Puck: **Sat in the corner of the room, everything's reminding me of you  
Nursing an empty bottle and telling myself you're happier, aren't you?

 **All:** Ain't nobody hurt you like I hurt you, but ain't nobody need you like I do  
I know that there's others that deserve you, **Sam & Puck: **but my darling I am still in love with you

 **All:** But I guess you look happier, you do, my friends told me one day I'll feel it too  
I could try to smile to hide the truth, but I know I was happier with you

 **Puck:** Baby you look happier, you do, I knew one day you'd fall for someone new  
 **Sam:** But if he breaks your heart like lovers do, just know that I'll be waiting here for you

"If it should ever happen that I see her again, I know I have work to do" Sam told him "But I'll do it, for her I'll do it"

"So you will take it personal then?" Mike asked

"Hell to the yes" he laughed

Several drinks, finished food and a few games of Pool later, Sam got a call from his Dad to say his siblings had arrived, he left excited to see his niece and two nephews "We'll catch up" he shouted to the others after shouting his contact details for everyone and rushing through the door

"What's the rush?" Artie asked when he was out the door

"I don't think he's seen is siblings for years, Rachel's banned him from seeing them because they had children of something" Puck told everyone "He was telling me yesterday"

"Shit man, life" Mike said shaking his head

"Let's forget about Berry shall we? I want to be happy, hell I want to see Sam happy again" Blaine announced "Artie do your damn thing, find Miss Jones, we'll pay"

 **Sam**

He got home and cried at the sight of cars on the drive even, all this emotion he'd kept inside for the longest time, getting to talk to his friends even for the afternoon had been beneficial. He opened the door and didn't recognise the young man standing there for a second "Mark?" he asked going towards him

"Uncle Sam" 19 year old Mark smiled "Finally" he hugged him saying, Sam stood hugging crying like a baby

"Good to finally meet you" he finally said looking up to see Stevie crying looking at him "Stevie" he reached out for his saying grabbing his brother so hard it could have been mistaken for anger, and maybe he was a bit for allowing Rachel to keep him away from his family for so long "I missed you bro" he looked up shocked to see his sister coming out the kitchen too "Stacy" he really didn't expect to see her, he left his brother and nephew and ran to her god he'd missed these people "I can't do this any more, this thing with Rachel, I can't do it any more" he held onto his sister saying "I love you guys"

"We understand Sammy" Stacy held him saying "We hate it, but we understand it, you couldn't live with a death on your hands, and we wouldn't want you to" the conversation quickly got off Rachel and onto events for the family, "These are my twins Adrian and Hannah" she said introducing him to his 14 year old niece and nephew he'd never met, things he'd missed, pictures, hugs, kisses and family time, he'd really missed it and he cried when everyone finally had to leave, he'd taken contact details and promised to be back when young Mark's baby was born, vowing not to leave it so long before the exit visit which would include spouses.

Pretty soon the week was over and it was time to go back to their lives as they knew it

 **Puck in Kentucky**

Puck knew how he'd left things with Quinn and he was reluctantly returning to Kentucky because over the past week he'd determined this was the last place he wanted to be. His problem was he didn't have an alternative, he'd never seriously looked outside this Quinn box he'd made himself and in the mix he had to think about their children, life had never been smooth sailing for them but nevertheless, it was family life as the children knew it. This really wasn't the time to go messing with their heads now they were at college, trying to make something of their lives, he needed to plan this right, although right now anywhere else, when compared to Rachel and Quinn's lie drama, would have been a walk in the fucking park.

Getting off the coach was hard but once he was off he made the journey home, stopping for a shot of courage on the way "Hi" he said as he walked in, ignoring Quinn's rolling eyes

"Noah we agreed you'd leave" she looked back at the sink saying

"You agreed I'd leave Q get it right, I needed time out, I took it"

"But we're agreed this isn't working?"

"Are we?"

"Look, I don't mean to start as soon as you walk through the door but, I didn't expect you to walk through the fucking door if I'm honest, I'm trying to move on, if you get what I mean"

"What, you found someone else in a fucking week?"

"No, is that what you think our fucking problems are, someone else?"

"More like great fucking expectations" he laughed sarcastically "Anyway I'm really not in the mood for this, I've been with my parents all week and sadly reminded it been 21 years since Mercedes passed last week, I've been on a downer, it brings things into prospective"

"That still doesn't say try again" she snapped at him

"For our sake, for the children even this is bad timing for them, and I'm not saying I don't agree with you, just well... let's at least try to get back on track until they're fine, say 6 months"

"It's not going to make a difference Noah I know how I feel" she stepped off saying, life was pretty much quiet after that until the 6 months was up and she came back still adamant that things had to stop and he finally agreed as he watched her walk out the room, end of a life together.

"Your phone" he shouted after her as he watched it ringing on the kitchen counter "Hi Brad" he picked it up and answered it saying seeing it was her brother, expecting he was talking about money again "She's just stepped out, can I help"

"Well yeah you could actually, you're never around to speak to" he laughed "You could try footing the fucking bill for these trips for Florida every six month"

"What trips to Florida, I thought she came to California to see you guys?"

"She hasn't been to see us for about 6 years now Dude, what the fucks going on up there?"

"What does she go to Florida for?" Puck asked

"I should be asking you that, why do you guys go there, what's there?"

"I can assure you we don't go to Florida" Puck told him

"I suggest you speak to your wife"

"Brad I got to go" he said putting the phone down _"The Bitch, she's got some man in Florida, that's why everything's so fucking easy for her to leave"_ he threw the phone down thinking _"There should be no fucking surprise Puckerman, she cheated on every fucking man she's ever been with including you"_ he looked at the door she'd not long walked out of "Quinn" he shouted waiting for a response "Quinn" he shouted again when he didn't get one, walking towards the door and through it to their bedroom to find her packing "What are you doing?"

"Packing, you won't leave so I will"

"Brad's just been on the phone, says I should be paying for all these fucking trips to Florida, what's going on?"

"Nothing's going on, not that I answer to you any more, we just made it clear we've finished"

"Because you have someone else?"

"No I don't"

"You can unpack, I'm leaving you can stay in the house and keep everything in it" he walked to the door saying "But you didn't deny you go to Florida" she stopped packing and looked at him, it was clear she wasn't about to give him an answer _she so does have a fucking man there_ he slammed the door thinking _and what the fuck is this Puckerman jealousy, honestly?_ "No pissed off" he grabbed his phone to make the call to his Mom and book the ticket to go back to Lima

 **Sam in Washington**

Sam had opted for the quiet life, he knew two things for sure, he was going to see his brother's grandchild when it was born because he loved his family, and as soon as Artie gave him information about Mercy's whereabouts he was going to see her, somehow he could help her, he needed to help her.

Rachel had survived his trip away and he came back to her nagging because he hadn't called her for a week "Why what did you have to say?" he spun round asking her "Come home?" he laughed "I wasn't coming back till I was ready" he told her

"What the hell is wrong with you?" she asked almost stamping her foot

"Nothing is wrong with me I don't take pills every damn day to wake up, go to sleep, talk, eat that's you"

"So now I'm to blame because I'm ill?"

"Why are you ill Rachel, tell me why are you ill at home and every damn day you put your face on and go teach several classrooms of children about music?"

"I don't know I have to put a face on don't I?" she spun at his saying

"So you can put a face on it for the outside world but in the house you have to be manic every single minute, and you're telling me you can't control that"

"So what are you telling me I'm pretending to be ill?"

"I'm telling you, you turn it on when you need to and it's all been a ply to keep me here with you"

"How fucking sick, what the hell do you have to actually offer me?"

"What do you mean?" he stood up shocked at her question

"I mean, you have no profession and don't tell me that fucking modelling was something, we both knew that was going to fizzle out, you have no qualifications Sam, you came here on my damn back and you've continued to ride me ever since. Yes I allowed you to do that and maybe I had an agenda back then but that's long gone"

"What agenda?"

"Never you mind actually you knew there was competition amongst us" she looked at him saying, he saw something in her eye and he knew it was about Mercy but he wasn't going to be the one to bring her up just now

"I'm going out" he grabbed his keys saying as she shouted after him to come back but he didn't

Life was pretty much shouting for them for the longest time, there was always something left unsaid for fear of seriously hurting the others feelings, followed closely with regret for having not said it. Sam was in constant conversation with the guys and was forever hitting Artie up for an update on Mercy's whereabouts but six months in and still no joy. He woke up to news that morning which merited a visit to Lima, his Grandniece had been born and the family were making the trip to Lima to formally introduce the new addition, he'd promised he'd be there, he jumped up "I'm going to Lima today" he announced walking towards the bathroom

"What do you mean your going to Lima what for?" she jumped up asking

"I've got some business I need to take care of"

"What suddenly you've got business in Lima?"

"Look Rachel we more or less live separate lives, so my activities shouldn't really interfere with any of your plans" he popped his head round the door telling her as he stopped brushing his teeth. Before he made it out the bathroom she was up dressed and packing

"I'm coming with you" she announced

"Okay" he smiled going round to pack his things and get dressed

"Where are we staying?" she smiled happy there had been no argument

"At my parents house, everyone's going down because Stevie's granddaughter has arrived and she's being introduced to the family" he smiled back at a blood drained Rachel, he watched with a smirk on his face as she crumbled "So you still coming or are you going back into crisis?" he looked at her asking

"You're so fucking cruel Sam Evans" she spat at him across the bed

"I'm not cruel Rachel, I'm just not letting you dictate when I can and can't see my damn family" he told her still packing

"If you leave I'll kill myself" she shouted, he knew her performance had just started he'd seen the pattern so many times now he could almost count the seconds to the next level "I mean it?" she took her pills out the draw saying, Sam sat on the bed getting dressed paying no attention to her threat "Sam" she shouted as he heard her opening the bottle and emptying the tablets "I mean it" she told him again

"Well make sure you have your phone on you because you'll need to call the services" he told her without looking back

"I always knew you loved her more than me" she told him, waiting for a reaction but he didn't give her one "Sam I said do you love her more than you love me?" she was hysterical by now, he didn't even know if she'd taken the tablets and seriously, he wasn't getting into it with her, he'd maybe call the services but he wasn't going to be at the hospital, her Dads would have to come over, he was done with her shit. He became aware of her again when something hit him in the back and he turned to see she'd thrown the suitcase at him

"What the fuck" he got up saying looking at her in disbelief "I was going to ask if you were fucking mad but..." he laughed at his own joke

She was infuriated by his don't care attitude and the fact that he hadn't answered her question told her he was "Mercedes is alive you know" she smiled now it was Sam's turn to pop, his face was like thunder "I always knew she hadn't died, but I knew if you knew that, you wouldn't have stayed with us, the baby and me that is, then when she didn't... well I knew for sure you'd go back to her so I just didn't tell you, I had to win"

"You knew?" he gasped "Our whole life together had been a damn lie, that's why you couldn't have children because of those damn lies" he spat at her no care for the hurt he was causing this woman, she'd infected him, his life, he needed out "How could anyone love you, you're half a fucking woman?"

"How Dare you" she jumped across the bed at him saying, he grabbed her hands and flung her on the bed

"Rachel" he looked at her saying, so calmly she was scared "We are done, there will never be a reason why I'd come back to you, do you hear me?" he smirked "And for your information I found out she was alive the last time I went to Lima" he said grabbing his bag and heading for the bedroom door

"Sam!" she screamed after him several times, obviously she didn't believe what he'd told her but he meant every word, he could still hear her when he was standing outside the building screaming his name. He called her parents and told them he thought she'd harm herself but he was done, her Dad didn't seem surprised and actually commended him for the time he'd actually spent with her, he wasn't about to look back.

He got to the airport and called Puck "Dude" he said when Puck picked up "She admitted to me she knew about Mercy, can you fucking believe that, I couldn't stay the whole damn thing's been a lie"

"Dude I was just about to call my Mom, I'm going back to Lima tonight" Puck laughed down the phone

"I'm on my way to the airport too" Sam laughed "Two fly guys running back home to Mommy"

"Dude, if I'd have taken advise I'd have still been there now" Puck laughed "In a bit"

"Yeah later tonight" Sam said closing the call

 **Lima**

Travel was done and they were back in Lima saying hello to family and friends, the first two days were taken up for Sam with meeting and getting to know all his family again and it took him a while after those two days to sit with his parents and actually tell them what was going on for him with Rachel. They were upset about his life, the fact that things had come to an end, even more so with Rachel's attitude towards them when all they'd ever showed her was acceptance, but he dare not tell them about the Mercedes of it all, not yet anyway

Week two and Artie was still coming up with nothing, Puck suggested they march up to the Jones residence as a group and find out what the hell happened to their friend, they laughed at the idea for about another three weeks until the truth hit them, if they were ever going to find anything out they'd need to speak to her family again.

"Let's just do it" Puck told Sam one afternoon as they sat in the pool hall thinking and talking about Mercy again "It's never going to go away"

"Seriously, I want to know but I can hear her Dad in the back of my mind, she can't even remember them, what are we expecting to change for her after all this time?" he looked at Puck asking

"So what do you want to do?"

"I don't know; why do you want to find her?"

"Dude our conversations weren't just one sided, I know how Sexy Mama felt about you, I want at least one of us to get our happy fucking ending" he laughed "I can't lie I love her, I always have but it's nothing like what you guys have, she's like the worlds best sister you know"

"I know that too, how the fuck did I get this so fucking twisted?"

"Dude, your wife told you, you could be anything you wanted to be, and for that second she sounded like Mercedes and you got suckered" he laughed "So what are we going to do?"

Come on let's go see Mr Jones" he jumped up saying

"King of the world" Puck jumped up to follow him saying


	2. Chapter 2

**Mr & Mrs Jones'**

"Sam" Mr Jones opened the door saying looking at Puck and giving him a nod as he pushed the door semi closed putting himself outside to speak to them "I know you've come to talk about Cedes, we're not there yet and yes we know how long it's been but our baby doesn't even know us, it breaks our heart and Mrs Jones can't even talk about..."

"Who's at the door?" Mrs Jones came asking smiling when she saw them, Puck and Sam stood looking puzzled as to why Mr Jones would lie like that "Sam" she came towards him saying hugging him as if she'd just seen him yesterday "It's been a while, why have you stayed away so long" Sam couldn't speak her reaction to him was totally different to Mr Jones'

"He's been living in Washington" Puck answered for him

"Washington?" she looked at Sam asking "Yeah you got married to Rachel Berry didn't you?" she asked as Sam nodded "How is she?"

"She suffers from Mental Health apparently, she's teaching children and she lied to me, she told me Mercy wasn't with us any more and I've believed that for 21 years" he stood shocked at having said all that

"You didn't know?" she asked looking at her husband

"No I didn't know"

"There's no point in opening up these old scars, there's too much water under the damn bridge" Mr Jones shouted looking at his wife

"Dee if the boy didn't know how can he be held accountable?" Mrs Jones turned to ask her husband

"Accountable?" Sam asked looking at Puck "How am I accountable?"

"Come in" she told them moving from the door way and opening the door giving them access. The house was very much as Sam remembered it so much so he smiled as he saw Mercy all over it, sliding down the banister to get to him at the door, sneaking up the stairs hand in hand while her parents were in the study, the living room door opened and the couch had changed but the new one was in it's position as he remembered the christening of the couch and literally giggled

That was such a hot afternoon, they'd had the ready conversation via phone, she'd come back, finally she'd set foot back in Lima and he was on hot bricks, the buzz was she was looking for him and although he tried to wait for her to find him he was irritated at the fact that she needed to see every insignificant person in Lima before she made any sort of connection with him. He knew that was because once they got together there would be no time for interruptions, and he was ready not to be interrupted, but it still pissed him off. Finally, two hours later, the call had been made, they were both free and this was going to be their time, he'd planned on going to his house but when he got there his Dad was ill and so his parents were at home, he quickly texted her and she changed the venue to hers. He was sitting outside when she finally showed up stiff pants and everything _"Come on"_ she giggled as she opened the door and grabbed his hand _"We won't go upstairs I can't explain that if they come home and their less lightly to come in here first"_ she said opening the living room door, smiling as she looked at the couch. They were grown, at College, 21 year olds and still hiding their relationship, they didn't ask any questions they were end game they both knew that, so anything went, after a long while they got through the urgency, noticing it had been nearly three hours they rushed to get dressed when they heard her Mom coming into the house and sat like saints until she finally came into the room, Mercy humming **'Wild thoughts' by Rihanna & Bryson Tiller **making him laugh _"I would not be using the N word" h_ e told her when she looked at him because she'd got to that part n the song, the door opened and they jumped up to greet her Mom

"Hi Sam" her Mom came round saying "I hope you and Cedes aren't up to anything I just heard your going to be a Daddy" she smiled at him "Congratulations" she said to a powder white Sam

"For who?" Mercy laughed asking her Mom, still wrapped in Sam's arms

"Rachel; her Dad just told me she did the test last night and she's pregnant" she looked at them saying "Sam you didn't know?" she asked looking between Mercy and him, his heart broke as he felt her pull away from him, he knew in that second it was final for them, she didn't speak, she wouldn't have, her Mom was there she just left the room. Sam went upstairs to try and speak to her but she refused to open the door to him he begged her to open it and speak to him, he told her he was sorry asked her to wait for him while he sorted this out and finally left the house. he' been careful every single time and checked it afterwards, he was puzzled, he begged her to get rid of it, do another test everything but the proof was already there on that fucking stick

Sorting out turned out to be marrying her as she had no intention of getting rid of the child, she was super happy about it, no mind that he was losing the love of his life. Within two months they were married and their wedding present was a deposit down on their home as Rachel had the Fanny Brice thing going on and he was trying to get into modelling everything was looking good for them. Then suddenly there was no baby and it seemed like minutes later the news came about Mercy's car accident and she was gone, he was devastated, his heart cried loudly but Rachel was breaking down after losing the baby, he had to focus his attention on her _'Even then she demanded my damn attention and I didn't even see it'_ he thought as he heard his name being called and realised where he was "Sorry memories" he smiled

"I was saying, we brought Mercy back here, in the early days, to see if she remembered anything, but she didn't"

"I was asking Mr Jones where she was to see if there was anything we could do, but he felt it best we leave her alone, we were hoping to change his mind" he told her looking between the both of them as he spoke

"I think it's gone past that Sam, we've told ourselves we've lost those years, we just visit as often as we can now she doesn't remember any history about us" Mrs Jones said sadly wondering off into her own memories "I have a letter upstairs she wrote to you, I don't know when but we found it in her room a long while after, I'll get it" she got up saying

"A letter?"

"Yeah" she said as she left the room, returning minutes later with the letter for Sam "Read it when you get home, I don't want you ugly crying all over my new couch" she laughed, there was something in that laugh Sam couldn't quite put his finger on but he took the letter anyway putting it in his pocket, he needed to be alone, as soon as he heard her call his name he knew he would be ugly crying, problem being, could he stop.

"And you guys are still saying you don't want us to know where she is?" Sam asked

"Yes" Mr Jones told him standing up almost telling them via body language that it was time to go

Puck and Sam got up, in response to his prompt, said their goodbyes and eventually left for home "You going to read the letter?" Puck asked when they got in the car

"At home" he replied the drive home was quiet, Puck was talking while Sam could only concentrate on one word answers his mind was elsewhere.

He got home and was thankful his parents were already in bed, he went off to his room and took the letter out putting it on his dresser, while he took his clothes off, grabbing his sweats he decided to go down to the den for privacy, he grabbed the letter and left his room

He sat on his old couch looking at the envelop that simply said Sam on the front, tears as he took it in, this was from Mercy the love of his life _"I'm hearing her say my damn name"_ he chuckled before ripping the letter open and unfolding the sheet of paper

 _Sam_

 _I don't feel I can call you any more than that any more, I'm lost totally lost every dream I ever had, you were in them and now to know that our dreams are no longer possible kills me. I would have given you all, more than she will ever be able to and I don't want you to hate me or blame yourself for what I do, I just can't do this. You hear me better when I sing so here goes_

 _ **'The Other Side' by Ruelle**_

 _I don't want to know who we are without each other, it's just too hard, I don't want to leave here without you_

 _I don't want to lose part of me, will I recover? that broken piece, let it go and unleash all the feelings_

 _Did we ever see it coming? Will we ever let it go? We are buried in broken dreams, we are knee-deep without a plea  
I don't want to know what it's like to live without you, don't want to know the other side of a world without you_

Is it fair, or is it fate? no one knows, the stars choose their lovers, save my soul, it hurts just the same, and I can't tear myself away

I don't want to know, can't live without you

"What the fuck?" he asked the letter as he read the words on the page "What did you do Mercy?" he threw the letter down his head spinning at what she was telling him, he was reading her suicide note, she'd written a suicide note to him, she was killing herself because she couldn't live without him "Mercy" he whimpered wiping his eyes unsure when he'd started crying but water was falling down his face and it was much too fast for him to wipe away with his hands. It seemed like an age before he was back in a place to pick the letter up again, this time he found the song on his phone and played it as he carried on reading

 _I guess you've called me all the names under the sun by now, as I said, this is not your fault, I couldn't live without you and I knew you'd gone. But I'm waiting for you so when you've finished living that life you chose maybe, just maybe it can be our time wild thoughts, I believe in our love, and I can't watch you loving someone that's not a part of us, I'm already dead inside so this is just the next step_

 _Whoever your with whatever your doing_

 _Your Mercy_

"Shit, Shit, Shit" he banged the couch saying "Mercy we could have talked" he shouted _but she's not dead, it didn't work_ he looked at the letter thinking. He could see why she'd gone there, that day was it for them, in being together like that they'd sealed a deal, they belonged to each other for life it lasted just 4 hours and then devastation with that damn news. He was winded, that was never his plan he didn't even remember not using protection, he tried hard to get her to do something about the pregnancy but she was determined "Wild thoughts" he smiled all thoughts about Rachel suddenly gone from his mind as he sunk back into his time with Mercy "God it's been a while" he said thinking about the last time he'd actually had sex with anyone.

"Sam what's up?" he heard looking round to see his Mom standing there

"Nothin..." he lingered off saying he couldn't help it he was crying again "It's..."

"It's Mercy isn't it coming back here's been too much for you, we thought it might be with all the memories and stuff" she hugged him saying

"Yes there are memories" he giggled through his cry "But she's still alive, I just found out the last time I was here but Mr Jones doesn't want me to see her and then tonight Mrs Jones gave me this letter" he looked up at her giving her the letter

She sat next to him reading the letter gasping at the message "God Sam" she looked up at him saying "This was not your fault, hold on maybe she was just talking about getting away" she grabbed him saying

"It was my fault Mom, we'd just given ourselves to each other, if you know what I mean, and for us that meant forever, you know how she was about all that stuff?" he asked her, she nodded acknowledgement of their many conversations back then "And less than 2 hours after, we were still basking, her Mom came in with the news of Rachel being pregnant and that was it" he cried "She never spoke to me again except for this letter" he took it back off his Mom saying

"She still loved you" she told him as she hugged him again "You need to ask Mr Jones again and be serious about it" she held his face up telling him "And son, I hate to say this, but I don't know how serious you can appear with a wife in tow"

"I don't even want to think about her, she knew all along that Mercy was alive, she told me before I left, she just didn't want me to leave her"

"So what are you going to do?"

"The divorce is happening, anything after that is up to God, if I can I'll find Mercy and try to undo all this stuff we've caused" he looked at his Mom saying "If she knew I knew she was out there somewhere and never tried to help her she'd never forgive me" he smiled "She'd die for me Mom, she wanted to die for me" all his Mom could do was hold him while he cried, eventually he fell asleep and she followed shortly after woken by his Dad standing in the den asking what was going on. Obviously the story was relayed again without so much crying, before his Dad decided he needed to know where she was and he was going to see Mr Jones himself after breakfast

Later that day Puck and Sam caught up, Puck sat horrified as Sam told him what the letter had said "This might be a long shot" he looked at Sam saying "Before I left Quinn, I, well she, got a call from her brother about that money I told you she was always borrowing" he looked at Sam asking but telling him "He said I needed to start paying for those trips we were making to Florida every 6 months"

"Yeah?" Sam looked at him puzzled asking

"We didn't go to Florida Dude she did, I guess we left it at being some Dude she was visiting, an affair like but, she could well have been visiting Mercedes, we know they were close at school and she did help her out with the baby situation back then, maybe it was Mercedes she was visiting"

"A hell of a long shot Dude" Sam laughed

"What else have we got?"

"Let's ask Artie to look into it" he smiled, finally seeing a light at the end of this very long dark tunnel, just before his Dad called to say Mr Jones wasn't moving on his decision but he didn't blame him for any of what happened with his daughter, making it a darker tunnel, not quite blocked but close. "Sorry Puck what were you saying?" he asked as he closed the call off

"She's sent me divorce papers already she must have signed them before I left"

"So it's final then?"

"I guess" he sighed "And I don't even know how I feel about that" he stood looking at him saying "What are you guys doing, Rachel and you?"

"Oh that shit is so happening for me, I just need a job to make the money"

"Enter Mr Menkins" Puck smiled sitting back down

"Who?"

"Cooter Menkins"

"I know the name I just can't place him" Sam sat thinking "Coach!" he sat up saying

"He's not a coach any more, he's a divorce lawyer, my free divorce lawyer who just happens to be dating my Mom" he laughed "Come to mine tomorrow and we can start that ball rolling on mates rates"

"And suddenly that lights back at the end of that dark tunnel again" he smiled. He didn't waste time he got straight onto it, of course there was resistance, her Dad's came in like bull dozers trying to threaten him into staying with her, she became the most difficult person just as he knew she would. He'd walked out leaving her with everything and he hadn't cheated, her behaviour was unacceptable, he sort of used that fact as his main get out clause, she'd acted that way to trap him, highlighting the fact that she'd held down a Teaching job for the majority of their time together. Reports from her places of work confirmed his argument and eventually she gave up, sold the house, took all the money from it and moved back home with her fathers

The whole process had taken more than eight months, in that time he'd gone back to college and finally taken his exams passed out on his Art course and was busy trying to find work. Puck had restarted his garden project and was doing very well out of it, having learned his lesson, he was keeping well away from the female of the species.

Puck had got his divorce some months earlier but they'd waited for Sam's to come through before the lads got together for the big bash, obviously they got together, shot some hoops, played pool, drunk enough beers to sink a ship, told some sad stories and the next day life moved on.

"Dude" Puck said looking across from Sam at the cafe as they sat sipping coffee, part of their new found life "I know you'll maybe say I should have told you a while back but, you had all this stuff going on with Rachel and I sort of needed to see you go through with it and everything" he looked at him saying

"What?" Sam sat forward in his chair asking

"Well Quinn and I..."

"Shit Dude don't tell me you're going back there?"

"No not like that anyway" he laughed before getting serious again "No we had a heart to heart sort of maybe closure" he looked down at his drink saying "And she told me she was... well that she'd been visiting Mercedes all these years"

"What, so she remembers Quinn?"

"No she doesn't remember anything, and Quinn's never been to where she actually is, she's just a lady she meets in the park every now and again, well every six months and they talk about whatever, she's been trying to bring her back but nothing works, 3pm in the park, that's all I know"

"What for 21 years she's been doing that, for Mercy?"

"Yeah, she said Mercedes never left her when she needed her"

"She said Mr Jones has given specific instructions that no one is to visit her, so that's how they get round it"

"Who's they?"

"The private nurses and stuff I guess" he smiled "She said I could go with her next time"

"I'm coming"

"Dude..."

"I'm coming Puck, I don't need to be with you guys I just need to see her"

"Don't tell me any details Dude, I don't want to upset what we're trying to build again"

"So you guys are trying again?"

"I don't know maybe we're better as friends, we don't actually know what's happening right now" he smiled

"I can't say anything Bro I saw something there when we were at school, maybe she's your one you know"

"Maybe, and now we're getting through all this stuff that's been infesting our relationship" he looked at Sam saying

"The heart wants what the heart wants" he laughed "And for me it's Mercy Jones on whatever level"

"Dude she doesn't remember anyone or anything"

"We fell in love once, maybe we can do that all over again, we share a feeling you know" he smiled as the conversation died down to thought

 **Four Months Later**

Sam was in the worst mood ever, Rachel had been to his parents house kicking up a storm, going on about hearing that he'd slept with some imaginary woman when they were together, all fabricated because she needed a drama fix. He couldn't believe she'd come all that way just to taunt him, his parents were shouting at her too, they were trying to get him out the room seeing this thing going much further than he'd ever thought of taking it, it ended with his Mom slapping her across the face for her comment about her son being a bastard

"Mom" he'd shouted as soon as he heard the slap thinking it was Rachel that had hit her, he was in flip mode when he looked and saw Rachel holding her face, a smile came to his face for a short while disappearing when he saw Rachel take her phone out and knew she was getting the police involved "Rachel" he turned to her saying "I dare you" he looked at her saying "I've been civil up till now, but if you want this to go further touch that phone and I swear to you, it will" he stood directly in front of her saying. She was tempted everything in her wanted to dare him, hoping to make him give her an alternative, she'd pick for him to come back "What the hell is this about?" he finally asked her when he realised she wasn't using the phone

"You and Mercedes" she blurted out

"What about me and Mercedes?" he asked being careful with his tone

"It's always been her hasn't it?"

"Do you want me to lie?" he asked her

"No … Yes, I want it to be me"

"It's not you Rachel, it never was" he told her surprised at the release he got from saying that "It never will be" he looked at his Mom saying "Rachel I have one regret in my life, and that's that I didn't break down Mercedes bedroom door that day her Mom told us about you being pregnant, and beg her to forgive me and take me back"

"What?" she looked at him asking "You were with Mercedes when you found out about our baby?"

"Yeah actually with her" he looked at her saying "That was our first and only time" at some point around that revelation she seemed to get it, she was clearly upset about that she apologised to his parents and left the house, that was last night there was still a cloud over the whole situation, and they didn't know if she was still in the area. His phone rang and he rolled his eyes before taking it out his pocket surprised to find Puck's name on his screen, he'd been spending a lot of time in Kentucky for someone who'd been talking to a friend. "Puck" he answered

"Sam just to let you know, we'll be in Florida tomorrow at 1.30pm please don't been seen, we land then so it's in your court Bro"

"Thanks for the heads up" he smiled closing the call down and checking for flights, he was booked within the hour and his hotel was booked maybe thirty minutes later. He went out that afternoon to get some travel stuff and met up with Mrs Jones

"Sam" she smiled hugging him, they'd met regularly since he'd moved back home, but she was generally with someone or he was so they never got to just go past anything except pleasantries "Come get a coffee" she stood in the café door telling him turning to go back in not giving him a choice really. He brought his order and went to join her at the table "I wanted to ask about the letter Cedes wrote you" she looked at him saying "Was it anything?"

"There's a lot about our relationship I don't feel right telling you Mrs Jones, but we know we loved each other and I guess with everything that followed it was difficult to see how that was going to work for us" he smiled "Mercy felt she couldn't carry on without me, and well, because I thought she was gone I just existed in that fake forced relationship, I'm out of that now and looking forward" he smiled

"Sam I love my husband, so there's a lot I can't tell you, but what I can say is Cedes was right, you guys have to believe in your love" she rested her hand on his arm saying, her eyes telling him she needed him to take from that everything she was trying to give him

 **Florida**

 **Day 1**

Sam had got there before midday he sat in the Starbucks café nursing a cup of coffee for nearly half an hour just watching the arrivals door "Top up Sir?" he heard looking up to see a young guy's eyes telling him he needed to buy another drink or something

"Yes please" he smiled "Same again" he said giving his cup, his thoughts drifted off to his conversation with Mrs Jones the day before hearing Mercy saying _'You have to trust that our friendship is stronger than that, you have to believe that we really love each other'_ he sat thinking about the last conversation they'd had about that "I believe that" he looked up telling her looking around for any attention he'd brought to himself by saying that out loud _'I believe that'_ he smiled telling himself surprised when he found himself humming a familiar song " _Just like me, they long to be, closer to you"_ his order came and he sat back sipping and watching again not wanting to miss his all important link, unsure if he wanted 1.30pm or 3pm to come knowing one had to happen before he could have the other

Another coffee later he saw Puck coming through the arrivals gate, Quinn on his arm, she was thicker then he'd remembered her obviously ageing lines on her face but her smile hadn't changed, he wanted to say hello but he just held his newspaper up and let them walk past him. Making for the exit shortly after and following them in a taxi to their hotel, thankfully he hadn't chosen the same one, he'd have gone directly to the park to wait but there were two close by so he needed to bide his time and wait for Quinn to make her move. Obviously it wasn't long before he saw them leave the hotel and make their way over to the common, he followed at a safe distance looking around hoping to spot her before they did but nothing, they finally settled on a bench and he sat a fair distance away on the grass his phone in hand looking like he was doing something other than people watching.

"Mercy" he gasped as he saw her coming towards where Quinn and Puck where sitting, she looked fresh, that was the only word his mind could find, fresh, she looked like she was alright, happy even, she smiled as she walked past people and eventually ended up at the benches near Quinn, it took a short while before he saw conversation strike up between them, which lasted about 20 minutes and then she was up leaving Quinn and Puck to themselves "Was that it?" he asked watching her walk away "Quinn comes all the way here for that?" he asked getting up, he was determined to get more than that, he was going to follow her home.

He took to the sneak thing quickly, they weren't looking for anyone to be following them so it wasn't so hard for him to follow them, twenty minutes later he was watching her walk into a detached house, white picket fencing, a dog barking in the garden and the door opening as they got close "Shit" he gasped "I didn't figure on her living her own damn life" as he watched her smile as she walked in to be greeted by someone he didn't quite see "Shit" he said again, taking his phone out to get his maps app to lock in the address before he walked away grabbing the first available cab back to his hotel

" _ **Ain't nobody hurt you like I hurt you, but ain't nobody love you like I do, promise that I will not take it personal baby, if you're moving on with someone new"**_ kept ringing in his head as the cab took him home "Sorry but I will, Artie was right"

He slammed down on the bed feeling happy he'd actually seen her but sad that she'd seemed to have found a way to carry on with life without him, he had too but his alternative had been nowhere near as happy as hers and she'd forgotten her history but he really hadn't thought about her creating another one. "What am I going to do?" he asked himself as he lay on the bed, stuck in this nowhere, he was eventually drawn back to now by his phone ringing smiling when he saw Puck's name come up

"Dude I'll come to you, where are you?" he asked before Sam could say anything, he gave him the details and sat waiting for Puck to get there

 **Sam & Puck**

"Dude" he walked into his room saying "That shit was mind blowing" he looked around saying "Are we alone?"

"Yeah, come on what happened?" Sam rushed him on, throwing him a beer as he spoke

"Well I guess the only thing you don't know is the conversation" he sat saying as Sam followed him and sat back down "She just sat and smiled, she saw Quinn and started the conversation. I expected her to sound different I suppose but Dude it was Mercedes with all the emotion she ever had. Quinn talked a lot and they seemed to keep things going, she giggled the same and she looks amazing"

"Didn't you guys ask her anything about her past?"

"No we couldn't apparently Mr Jones has given strict instruction"

"Did she recognise you?"

"I don't think so Quinn introduced me as her new boyfriend and she smiled at that telling Quinn she felt I had a genuine heart somewhere in there" he smiled "And her face and the way she greeted me sort of told me it was the first time she was seeing me"

"So she remembered Quinn?"

"Only from the visits she's been making, nothing before that as far as I know"

"I followed her to her house and someone opened the door to her, the smile on her face told me it was someone significant, it rocked me, I really didn't think about her having another life"

 _ **'Sat in the corner of the room, everything's reminding me of you, nursing an empty bottle and telling myself you're happier, aren't you?** ' _Puck sang "Dude she seemed happy"

"And that shit tells me I should just leave this alone, just go home and live my damn life, but Dude I said stuff to her you know and it hasn't gone away I meant it and …..." he tapered off looking up at Puck before dragging his hands through his hair frustrated "And I had this conversation with her Mom yesterday, she told me Mercy was right we had to believe in our love" he took a breath after saying "I don't know what she meant, but I know what I wanted it to mean and now this"

"So gut instinct what are you thinking?"

"Wild thoughts" he smiled "That I believe in our love"

"Enough to take the chance?"

"More than enough"

"Then Bro do it, do you need me with you?"

"I want to say yes, but if this goes tits up I don't want to drag you down with me, so no" he smiled "You did enough already and if you're trying to sort things out, this isn't helping" he tapped his shoulder saying "Quinn looks good by the way"

"Dude Mercy looks better trust me"

"To me that's a fact" he laughed, Puck followed, they talked for a while more until Puck felt his sight seeing had gone on long enough, he caught a cab back to his hotel, to wake a sleeping Quinn

 **Sam**

 **Day 2**

The following day Sam finally plucked the courage up to make his way back to Mercy's house, he hadn't slept all night and he hadn't taken the opportunity to sort himself out, his hair was the longest it had ever been and his beard made him look like a man three times his age. There was method in his madness, if she didn't remember his face he was going to say things that she sure as hell should remember, he was going to be her best friend again.

He stood down the street for the longest time, until he felt people looking at him before he decided to bite the bullet and visit her house, he laughed when the dog actually stopped barking when he came through the gate and walked towards him almost begging for a treat or something, he patted his head and carried on. Knocking the door he heard a familiar voice telling him to come in, he knocked again giving her a chance to come to the door "Come on in" she shouted again so he pushed the door open and walked in

"Hello" he shouted as he entered

"In the kitchen" she shouted, he knew it was Mercy talking, he grabbed where the voice was coming from and followed it "Morning" she said turning round to see a stranger standing in her kitchen "Sorry I thought you were Kane" she looked at him saying unsure what to do next

"I did knock, and shout, do you want me to leave?" he asked pointing at the door

"No, no state your business, every neighbour up the street has either taken a photo or given a full description to the police on your way up" she laughed that belly laugh he knew so well, making him smile

"I was just in the neighbourhood and happened on this house, it was so much like something I wanted when I was young, I just had to come in, be nosy, and see the person that stole my dreams" he smiled, she stood for a few seconds looking at his smile, he hoped she'd recognised it but she said nothing

"I'd show you around but I'm on my own right now" she smiled "Can I offer you a drink of anything?"

"I wouldn't mind a coffee"

"Coming up" she turned to the counter saying, surprising the hell out of him when she brought over his white coffee with two sugars and a chocolate chip cookie on the side "You look like that type of man" she smiled as she put it down

"I am" he laughed

"I meant to ask, what's your... Sam" she said his eyes opened so wide his mouth dropped open and he felt blood drain from his body before it started rushing around again, he was hot, sweating, disoriented and nervous. His focus came back slowly as he looked up at her needing to see himself in her eyes and he did, but she wasn't looking at him "Come here" she called to someone alerting Sam to the fact that someone else was in the room

He looked at the door shocked to see this young man making his way over to her and hugging her, he was still hearing Sam in his head wondering if that was real or just something he wanted to hear, he was struck by lightening when the young man turned round, he was looking at a brown skinned version of himself "Sorry" Mercy said to him as he stood up "This is my son Sam"

"Hello" Sam said to this young man "How old are you?"

"Hi" he smiled, he had his smile, his hands, his eyes, his hair except it was slightly curly "I'm nearly 21, and you are?"

"Sam" he smiled "My name's Sam too, and I'm 42" he told his son as he grabbed his hand "Sorry I need to go" he dragged his hand away saying heading for the door "Would you mind if I came back tomorrow?" he looked at the two of them saying

"No not at all" Mercy giggled "Sam see the man out" she told her son, he did as told and Sam made a quick exit .

He got in a taxi and told the driver where he needed to be, got to his room and freaked out "I've got a child and man child, that looks like me, she was pregnant and she said nothing, but that was Mercy being fucking Mercy ever the fucking martyr" he shouted across the room, he was speaking to no one but himself "But she named him Sam she must have remember something about me, she must have" he told himself pacing the floor as he spoke "So why didn't her Dad want me to know about my own fucking child?" he couldn't help it, this was big, he called Mr Jones

"Hello" he heard on the other side of the phone and immediately he was calm, no matter what shit was ever going down he wasn't going to be disrespectful to this man, he loved his daughter

"Mr Jones, it's Sam" he said to silence on the other side "I just want to say I've found Mercy, on my own back, and I'm not happy that I have a son and no one bothered to even let me know"

"Sam" he sighed down the phone "I asked you to leave her alone any further trauma could mean she forgets more and god forbid she should forget her own son, he's keeping her alive"

"And you don't think him keeping her alive might have something to do with the fact that he's our son?"

"Are you willing to take that chance? Sam would hate you for it if he lost his mother" he asked as Sam stood thinking about it

"Mr Jones, I'm sorry but I believe in our love"

"And where the hell was your love when you slept with Miss Berry and got her knocked up, just before getting my daughter knocked up and almost killed?" he shouted down the phone

"It was there Mr Jones, I know it's hard for anyone outside to understand it, but it's always been there"

"Sam, I'm against this, and if Cedes goes further away from us, I'll never forgive you"

"Sounds like I wont be forgiven anyway Mr Jones, I have nothing to lose, sorry, I'm doing this" he told him to silence again "Bye Mr Jones"

"Bye Sam" he said as Sam stood and waited for Mr Jones to put the phone down

He didn't speak to anyone else about his situation, he didn't want to, he needed to sort this out himself, if he started taking advice he'd do the wrong thing, he had to follow his heart and believe in their love, he took a shave, got his hair cut and was looking more like Sam again older but still Sam.

 **Day 3**

The next day he made his way back to Mercy's house going all the way to the gate in his taxi, he was determined to at least have a son by the time he came out of this house again.

"Morning" he knocked the door saying

"Come on in" Mercy shouted again smiling as he made his way to the kitchen "Morning" she said turning to do something and walking over to him with a coffee and cookie just like the previous day

"Thank you" he smiled

"You look different" she looked at him saying "Nice"

"Morning" SJ came walking in saying stopping as he turned to look at Sam "Sam" he said slowly before carrying on over to his Mom "Mom" he stopped to look at Sam again "I'm going to take Sam for that walk around the house"

"Okay Baby, do you need me?"

"No Mom we'll be fine" he laughed sounding just like his Mom, Sam smiled "Do you want to come with me?" he asked him as Sam got up to follow him "I need to show you something" SJ told him as they started up the stairs

"Sounds secretive" Sam smiled, concerned that SJ was looking at him a bit too long

"Don't freak out" he said grabbing the handle of the door they stood in front of "This is Mom's bits of Memory, nobody and I mean nobody sees this" he opened the door saying

Sam couldn't catch is breath, there were painting all over the room, hands holding each other obviously them in the café that first day, he recognised their hands at Kurt's recital, Prom that first year, at the back of the choir room. Looking around he saw paintings of Christmas trees, coffee cups, back packs, the fairground, his Dad's tie, everywhere he looked there was something from his memory of her staring back at him "God" he looked around saying

"Do you know anything about any of these?" SJ asked him "And before you give me some bullshit answer, you should maybe see this" he said pulling a cloth of an easel standing close to him revealing a picture, Sam stood looking at a picture of himself sitting on her parents couch, and smiled

"Where do you want me to start" he looked at his son asking

"Is there a story before me or do I start the story?" he looked at him asking

"You're the end of the story" Sam smiled at him saying "The beginning of my life"

"We need to leave here Mom will be thinking things she doesn't need to know right now" SJ told him "Can we go down the town and get a conversation going?"

"Sure" Sam smiled following SJ out the room down to the kitchen where he said goodbye to Mercy eventually and left the house, waiting for SJ to emerge for them to talk

 **Sam & SJ**

"Right" SJ sat down saying as Sam carried the drinks they'd ordered to the table "I don't mean to be intrusive into your life or anything but you must understand Mom knows nothing and Granddad refuses to say anything, thinks she might relapse or something so I need everything, there's a whole half of my existence I know nothing about"

"So you want me to start at the beginning?"

"Please and don't miss anything out, I can take it" he smiled looking like Mercy suddenly

Sam was true to his word he started at Empire State of Mind, worked his way through school, and his Mom's time at college, talked about their promises, dropped in about his relationships. He went into some depth about the Rachel situation and watched as SJ showed signs of unease "Are you alright, do you need me to stop?" he asked him, he shook his head and waved his hand telling him to carry on. He finally got past the early Rachel stuff told his son about how his Mother and he heard about the pending baby and she let him go to look after his child

"I have siblings?" he asked

"No the baby didn't survive and by the time I thought about getting out of that situation your Mother was passed or so I thought up until a year ago"

"So you didn't know about me?"

"I just found out about you when you walked into the kitchen yesterday, I stood there looking at a young me with colour, I went home last night and smartened up to tell you guys today, hoping your Mom would recognise me"

"She won't, everything except those paintings that come out her head every now and again, is gone"

"And that's my problem, because although I believe she's forgotten everything memory wise, I know like me she can still feel, we have strong feelings and we were so connected it would be really hard to ignore those feelings, I mean I know your Mom, I have to try everything, she would for me"

"I can't lose my Mom" SJ told him panicked "I need her more than I need you" he jumped up saying

"If you tell me to stop I will, I promise" he looked up at him saying "And believe me, other than your Mother you're the only other person I'd do that for"

"Okay" he sat down saying breathing a sigh of relief "For some reason I trust you" he smiled "Maybe it's because you really are my Dad" he laughed

"And for some reason I'd do anything for you" Sam looked at him saying, they were bonding

"Will you come back tomorrow, we can figure something out?"

"I will for you, yes" he smiled telling him, they finished their drinks and went their separate ways for the night, both excited at having started a relationship.

 **Sam & Puck**

"Hey Dude" Puck yelled when he answered his phone "What you been up to did you go see her?"

"Yeah I went to see her but she doesn't recognise me or anything, I plan on working on it" he laughed

"So you'll be here for a while?"

"Well I booked for a week so we'll see" he told him not wanting a long conversation because he didn't want to let any cats out the bag "How's things with Quinn?"

"She's good, we're good actually, we're talking about getting back together"

"I really hope that works for you guys"

"The fact that I'm working now seems to help, I guess I just got relaxed in the nothingness of it all"

"I guess" Sam laughed _'How quickly we forget'_ he thought

"We're going back tonight, to Kentucky that is so I guess I'll see you next time I'm in Lima"

"I guess" Sam smiled to himself saying "Hey safe journey and good luck"

"Good luck to you too Dude, bye"

"Bye"

 **Sam, Mercy & SJ**

 **Day 4**

"Morning" Mercy smiled when she saw Sam turn up again at her house "We need to start being discreet, people will start talking" she laughed as she made busy getting his drink and cookie ready "SJ told me you were coming to see him" she said still busy "There you go service and a smile" she told him laughing

"Thank you" he laughed "Morning" he picked the cup up saying doing a cheers before tasting the hot liquid

"So" she sat down saying "What exactly to you do Sam?"

"Right now I'm in between jobs, I'm looking for something in animation, but back in my day I sung" he smiled telling her

"Whoo sing me something" she smiled asking "Anything" she laughed

"I haven't sung for ages but I'll try" he smiled clearing his throat _**'Reaching out, to touch a stranger'**_ he sang shocked when she joined in to sing _**'Electric eyes are everywhere'**_ smiling he carried on singing _'_ _ **See that girl, she knows I'm watching, she likes the way I stare'**_ she joined in again for the chorus he was elated  
 **'** _ **If they say, why, why, tell 'em that it's human nature, why, oh why, does he do me that way, if they say, why, why, tell 'em that it's human nature, why, oh why, does he do me that way'**_

"I'm told I used to sing, and I do in the kitchen but, well it's fun" she smiled

"Were you two having a diva off?" SJ came in laughing asking

"No way, your Mom wins every time her voice is brilliant" Sam turned to him saying a laugh in his voice

"No such thing, I'm like a strangled bird" she laughed

"Cream rising to the top" Sam looked at her saying, she held his stare for a few seconds, they both left it wondering what actually happened there, SJ was smiling he could see the natural chemistry, sparks flying between these two, he would have fun just sitting back and watching how long it took them to see it. Sam must have either felt his stare or heard his thought because he looked at him and smiled and they both knew what had been said

"I get that from my Evans side then" he whispered to his Dad, they both had to stifle a laugh

"You do" he replied eventually

"It's just funny seeing it in real action, from the founder so to speak"

"You haven't seen your Grandfather yet" he told him and they couldn't help it they both laughed out loud

"What's happening over there?" Mercy spun round asking

"Nothing I was just telling Sam, your voice was good I told him you were cream rising to the top" he told her waiting for a reaction but got none "I'm only in town for like a week and I've had four days already I was hoping we could maybe all go out get something to eat or something, what do you say?" he looked at her back asking, realising she wasn't listening he called her "Mercy"

"Yeah" she spun round replying

"I was saying the three of us Dinner tonight, what do you say?"

"Sounds good I don't usually go out at night but we can, is that alright SJ?"

"Fine Mom, you'll have two strong men to defend you" he laughed

After the drinks Sam and SJ went back to Mercy's art room to talk more about the stories behind some of her paintings and get to know each other. Things were going well for them, they were catching up on lost time, SJ was learning about the other half of him and Sam was getting to know his son he'd always wanted a child, not necessarily with Rachel but he wanted one and now to know he'd got one all along he was more than happy.

They went out for their evening meal, everything went well and Sam finally deposited them back home nearing 11pm, belly's full and fun had "We must do this again some time" Mercy told him walking slowly towards him

"Tomorrow is another day" he smiled watching her coming towards him, that cheeky grin on her face, making him smile for where that look could take them

"Goodnight Sam" she told him holding his eyes again, when she got to him

"Goodnight Mercy" he said kissing her forehead, he was so lucky SJ was standing there just then, he wanted to pull her to him, he knew what her eyes were asking, the way she was walking up to him, that could have gone further, proof to him the brain might have gone but the feelings were still there.

"Goodnight Sam" SJ smiled "Tomorrow then bright and early" he winked, Sam knocked fists with SJ and hugged him before the two people he loved most in the world disappeared into their home ' _We've just had our first family evening'_ he thought as he walked back to the cab

 **Day 5**

With a definite spring in his step Sam made his way to Mercy and SJ, he hadn't got a clue what he was going to do with them today, but he knew he had a deadline he had one day left to try and jog her memory so he was going to try and fit as many prompts in as he could

"Morning" SJ came to the door saying before he'd got a chance to knock "Thought we could go for a walk get some memories going again" he shut the door behind hi saying as he stepped out into the front garden

"Fine" he smiled surprised when SJ hugged him, he closed his eyes and drunk it all in, this was what love felt like

He wanted to know more about his Mom naturally, Sam smiled as they sat in the yard firing questions at each other about the past, jumping in the air with excitement, when the story got lively, he got up and did a perfect body roll when his Dad told him about the evening with candles "Classic signature move" Sam jumped up saying doing one himself

"What was that?" SJ asked laughing

"A classic white chocolate body roll" he playfully pushed him saying "Your Mom loved it" he told him making him laugh harder

"Dad" he straightened up saying, he didn't know how he'd made his Dad feel in saying that, inside he was crying with joy, fulfilment, pride everything a Dad feels at the birth of their first born "I think we should recreate the candles thing" he smiled at him "What do you think?"

"A bit bold"

"I need to get this thing lit up I need to meet my other family"

"Okay create the scene and we'll see" he told him eager to please

That night SJ and Sam reinvented the scene, he dragged his Mom out the kitchen and left her in front of the living room door "Go in" he encouraged her, she put her hand on the handle looked back at her son before opening it and walking in gasping at the sight in front of her, baffled at Sam standing in her living room

"Mercedes" he took his phone away from his ear saying "I got to cut this short my girlfriends just arrived" he smiled shyly as she took in the sight "Don't worry I have a fire extinguisher handy just in case anything tips" he smiled walking towards her "I hope you don't think I'm forward but I prayed about us, and that was when it hit me" he stood in front of her saying "I don't need to think about this any more I've said this before, but this time I mean it" he grabbed her face saying "I can live without most things but I can't live without you" he looked into her eyes saying.

Maybe he should have stopped it there, everything in his body was telling him he needed to stop there but her eyes were drawing him in he lifted her head and pulled her face to meet his pecking her lips smiling when he opened his eyes to see hers closed before going back in to claim what needed to be his. Her hand went up and grabbed hold of his head, pulling him into her, he went willingly it was what he wanted too, he pulled her to him pressing hard against her opening his eyes for a second to see SJ standing watching with a smile on his face "Sorry" he pulled away saying

"Don't be" she smiled looking up at him "That was so romantic" she laughed "So now are you guys ready to eat?" she asked turning to leave the room

"We could maybe watch a film after dinner" SJ suggested looking at his Dad puzzled just as much as he was about her reaction

"Yeah my pick" Mercy smiled as they got to the table "It's your last night tonight isn't it Sam?" she spun round asking him

"Yes I'm back to Ohio tomorrow night" he informed her before they sat and had a very nice family dinner, SJ being the focus and that was fine by him, Mercy was disclosing her memories of his childhood, telling all his secrets

"Film" she said as she placed the last of the dirty dishes in the washer, walking off to go make her choice "This one" she picked up an old comedy B movie as SJ rolled his eyes

"Mom you always watch that one something different please?" he sat on the floor asking

"This one then" she picked up a copy of Dreamgirls saying "I'm not budging" she told him as he took the case off her and inserted the DVD sitting back to enjoy "I forgot the snacks" she jumped up saying as Sam looked around for the best spot to fall asleep in, finding the centre of the large couch in the middle of the screen he smiled and sat in it, surprised when Mercy sat almost on his lap with snacks in her hand, SJ just looked up and smiled

The movie started and to be fair, it was interesting, he liked all the singing, he couldn't fall asleep for Mercy keep hugging up on him, singing along to the songs and making him join in and to be fair he was having fun. Too soon the final song came and they Sat singing along as Mercy wiped tears from her eyes for the plight of Effie.

"Hot drink?" she jumped up asking as Sam watched her moving across the room, his focus on her ass bouncing as she moved and her hair bobbing along following the unheard beat of her movements **'** _ **Wild, wild, wild wild, wild, wild thoughts, wild, wild, wild, when I'm with you, all I get is wild thoughts, wild, wild, wild, when I'm with you, all I get is wild thoughts'**_ he hummed as he watched her leave the room

"What!?" SJ asked him as he caught the tune "Is that my damn Dad" he laughed

"I think that's your parents" he laughed "And can you say that in front of your Mom?" he asked

"What?" he looked at his Dad asking

"Damn" Sam asked

"Hell no" he smiled

"Sorry son, but same rules apply" he looked at him saying

"I get that" he smiled "Sorry" he told him with puppy eyes as Mercy walked back into the room with the hot drinks


	3. Chapter 3

So they sat with the TV as background noise as they drunk coffee and ate cookies, Sam was at spending the night his mind was fixed, humming the chorus over and over in his head, SJ looking at him every now and again smiling, they were on the same think wave. That voice in his head at some point must have got louder because the next thing he knew Mercy was jumping up asking him something, he looked around the room to find SJ looking at him too "What?" he looked at them asking

"That song what's that song" she asked him

"What song?" he looked up at her asking

"You were humming a song, what is it?"

"I don't know" he lied seeing fear on SJ's face and reading it as stop

"You do know Sam what's the song?"

"I don't know" he said, as SJ stood making excuses for him before asking him to leave the house, SJ's face had worried him, had he opened something he couldn't close down

He got back to the hotel and sat wondering what his next move was going to be, if there was going to be a next move, SJ's face wasn't telling him things were going to be alright all he could hear was SJ saying _'I need her more than I need you'_ and he understood that, but he needed them both.

It must have been at least three hours later he got a call from SJ telling him that his Mom was still traumatised, it was nothing to do with the way he felt about him but he thought it best he stay away for a while, just until she settled down. He promised to stay in touch via phone but asked his Dad not to call him and that was the end of the call, Sam sat feeling like crying, he had to stop he'd told his son he'd do this for him if he asked and he'd asked. To get so close to his perfect life and have it just slip away, his heart broke, of course he went over every move he'd made cursing the fact he hadn't seen the signs and lost everything.

Playing in the back of his mind that old faithful _**'Ain't nobody hurt you like I hurt you, but ain't nobody need you like I do, I know that there's others that deserve you, but my darling I am still in love with you'**_ he lay staring with thoughts of his family swimming round in his head

 **Day 6**

He didn't sleep that night, his mind was on Mercy's reaction to the song he was humming suddenly he knew that must be the key, how was he going to get that across to them now. This morning he sat in the restaurant at the hotel eating breakfast wondering what to do for his last day when his phone rang, he was excited to see it was SJ "SJ" he almost shouted when he answered "What's up?"

"It's Mom" he gasped down the phone

"What's happened?"

"She's been humming that song all night, I think you made her remember something can you come over?" he asked

"Sure" he smiled down the phone, immediately getting up, leaving his breakfast in answer to SJ's request

"She's just smiling humming the same lines of the song I don't know what to do"

"I'll be there in 30 minutes" he told him clipping the phone off, _'this is it'_ he smiled as he got closer to their house, suddenly realising he was scared for what he was about to meet, this could go one of two ways and he hadn't got time to think of a plan B.

"Dad" he heard as he stepped out the car looking up fretfully to see SJ almost running towards him

"Alright son I'm here now" he grabbed hold of him saying, glad he was finally able to be there for his son, his mind wondering what SJ was actually making of all this and how terrified he must be having to go through all this with his Mother on his own "I'm here" he held him away from him telling him, staring into eyes that were his own felt strangely comforting "Are you alright?"

"I am now" he looked back up at his Dad saying with a smile, before a silence as they had a moment

"Okay let's get your Mom and my woman back" he turned him saying as they walked towards the house

They walked into the kitchen to hear Mercy humming the song, just as SJ has said, making them smile as they stood watching her shake her ass to the tune that was obviously playing in her head, standing at the sink. "Mom" SJ called to her

"Arrr Sam" she smiled when she saw him "That song of yours is still in my head"

"So I heard" he smiled walking towards her

"You're off today yes?"

"Later tonight" he nodded, looking back at SJ for instruction, turning back to watch her as she made coffee and plated cookies

"Let's go in the main room" SJ suggested as all three entered the room and found the couch inches between them, Sam in the middle with Mercy and SJ on either side "This is nice" he smiled picking up his drink

Mercy and Sam picked theirs up too, and sipped in silence, they finished there drink and sat laughing about something on the TV, when it calmed down Mercy went back to her humming **'** _ **Wild, wild, wild, wild, wild, wild thoughts, wild, wild, wild, when I'm with you, all I get is wild thoughts, wild, wild, wild, when I'm with you, all I get is wild thoughts'**_ she got up humming and dancing around the coffee table as Sam and SJ sat watching "Come on Dance" she beaconed then as she moved round the table still no words to the song

"Do you know the words to that Mom?" SJ laughed asking

"I know the tune" she smiled at him saying as she waved for them to get up

"Okay" he told her putting his phone in the pod "This is what your singing" he laughed as he pressed play

"And I will not be using the N word" Sam got up laughing telling her, ready to dance

"Sam" she stopped moving around the room to look at him "You believed in our love" she ran to him saying

"I believed in our love" he smiled holding onto her, finally finding meaning to his life, she'd remembered something about them

"Sam" she pulled away from him saying, looking at her son "This is your Dad" she smiled "I remember this is your Dad, and I know your a product of our wild thoughts" she smiled holding her hand out for him to join them, they didn't tell her they already knew this fact they let her lead on this.

Mercy kept Sam close for the rest of the day, if she was going to the kitchen, her favourite place in the house, she'd grab his hand to follow her, the conversation was neutral nothing telling them she'd remembered anything other than what she'd said. SJ sat watching his parents smiling at the look on his Dad's face as his Mom did things that were out of character for his Mom, but obviously familiar to his Dad

"Sam" she looked up saying as both men looked at her "Bring the photo album from my room I can maybe get some answers" she announced

"Your room?" he asked surprised "I thought only you went in your room?"

"I'm giving you permission to go in my room boy, problem?" she looked up at him asking

"No" he jumped up saying coming back minutes later with albums in his hand

"This one first" she grabbed the album saying pulling SJ with it "Come sit down, your Dad's going to tell us about our history"

"I've never seen these" he looked at his Dad saying with a smile

"I don't think I hav..." Sam lingered off as he sat looking at pictures of Mercy and him at school "Did you know me when you saw me?" he asked her

"I've drawn pictures of how you feel" she smiled at him grabbing his hand

"Pictures?" he looked at her saying as she grinned shyly

"What was happening here?" she asked pointing at a picture of him singing Bamboleo to her, changing the subject

"We were trying, well actually, I was trying to win you back when I came back from Texas" he smiled knowing he'd have to tell her the whole story so they sat telling story after story for the photos she pointed at slowly linking the pieces of their life together

They'd got through maybe six pictures when she asked him "Aren't you going to miss your flight?"

"Yeah" he laughed "I can get a later one" he told her before he remembered he needed to check out of the hotel "I need to go check out I'll be back in like an hour" he jumped up saying

"Can we all go I really don't want you out my sight just yet?" she asked getting up herself to grab his hand again "Do you have someone waiting for you, at home I mean?"

"My parents" he smiled

"Let me get dressed" she pulled him with her saying, his face changing as he looked back at SJ, laughing at the fact that his face was just as distorted as his own, she was taking him to her bedroom "I know you've seen it all before, we've obviously slept together Sam" she laughed as if she'd read the look on his face

She got in the bedroom and almost immediately started to strip off leaving her trail of clothes as she walked towards what he could only assume was her bathroom "Come talk to me" she held her hand out saying standing in just her underwear, his eyes unable to stop leering at her, she was 42 but she was a just gone 25 kind of 42, from what he was looking at, everything was as he'd remembered it just riper and ready for... "So" she looked at him saying as she undid her bra and allowed it to fall to the floor "We were lovers?"

"We were" he smiled "Serious lovers" his mind already in the lovers zone

"Show me how serious" she told him stepping out of her underwear totally naked in front of him

"Seriously?" he asked looking at her, his eyes glistening with want

"I'm positive" she smiled "You don't think I get undressed like this for just anyone do you?"

"I'm not just anyone though am I?" he grabbed hold of her saying his lips were all over her, she was going just as fast "It's been a while" he gasped

"It has, I've never been with anyone except you and I don't remember it, I need to remember it" she pulled him into her saying before they locked lips again

Somehow they found themselves on the bathroom floor, their minds getting lost as they proceeded to find each other again. Sam finally becoming aware of his surroundings got up, picking her up with him, he looked around to find something to lean on, opting for the sink. At this point he seemed to gain lead in the proceedings as his mouth wondered around her neck, face and shoulders, suddenly he was aware her hands were making light work of his belt, he was lost in the familiar look on her face, he was back at the lake in Lima, feeling exactly how he'd felt that first time she'd gone down on him "Do you want this?" he stopped her searching hands to ask

"Yes" she grabbed his lips again saying, she discarded of his clothes in one swoop, lifting herself off the sink and wrapping her legs around his torso refusing to unlock them

"Mercy" he whimpered as he lost control

"I love the sound of that" she smiled into his ear "I want this rough" she laughed as she bit his ear making him moan before he pulled away and looked at her, smiling at the dare in her eyes

"Okay" he replied pulling her off him with force, she grabbed his lips hungrily before he flipped her round to face the mirror above the sink, parting her legs with his foot and filled her from behind, she screamed but he didn't entertain it, that was what he needed too, he held onto her hips, his eyes watching her body get comfortable with his movement before he changed it to hear her moan, scream or beg again.

Eventually their noises mingled together as they peaked, him calling her name as she turned to watch him

"Don't ever leave me again Sam" she cried as they rested against the sink catching breath, him stroking her hair a smile on his face

"I won't, ever" he smiled at her mirror image

"Promise?" she looked back at him asking

"I promise" he told her before looking around the bathroom at his discarded clothes "We left Sam downstairs he'll be thinking all sorts" he giggled "We need to get back down but this" he said looking down at them "Hasn't finished"

They got dressed and went back downstairs to be confronted by SJ "What were you guy's doing upstairs?" he asked his Mom but looking at his Dad

"We were just..." Sam started when Mercy put her hand up stopping him from talking

"Mind you business" she looked at him saying playful in her eyes

"I'm serious Mom, what were you guys doing?"

"And I'm serious, mind you own damn business" she spat at him, Sam was shocked at her tone and looked at SJ surprised, seeing upset on his face he turned to Mercy

"Mercy he was just asking a ques..."

"I don't care we don't answer to him, it's called parenthood" she told him looking at SJ for the last word, Sam held his hand up at SJ telling him to hold breaks on the conversation

"Hot drink?" she asked walking out the room as Sam followed her signalling to SJ that he'd be back "You think I'm being harsh with Sam?" she asked as they got through the door

"A bit he only asked a question" he looked at her saying

"I am" she smiled "But I've lived all my life for him, I've never wanted anything except him, I've put everything into him, my whole life has been Sam and it's not that I would want to do anything different, he's the one constant love in my life, but then you come along and I don't know how, but I feel you, I know we've met before, I feel what you feel and it makes me feel nice" she smiled "You're for me Sam, well I think you're for me, and I want something for me right now, I need something for me"

"And I get that, and believe I am that something, but Sam's our son and we can't shut him out, he makes us a family"

"I know that and eventually , I hope I'll learn to share, but right now, I want you for myself" she walked up to him saying, placing a kiss on his lips

"I want you to myself too" he smiled "But now I know Sam exists, if you can feel me, and I know you can, you know he's not going to be left out"

"So what do you suggest?" she smiled up at him

"Let me speak to Sam first and we'll sort something out" he kissed her saying before leaving the kitchen

He pulled his hands through his hair as he looked at SJ being so much like him as he sat rubbing the back of his neck "Son" he walked up to him saying "Your Mom just wants a life she said" he sat next to him telling him

"And I just want my Mom and Dad to want me, not each other"

"So what, you want me to walk away?"

"No" he looked at his Dad saying "I just …. I want Mom to remember everything, I want a Dad and I want you to love me"

"I do love you" he grabbed his shoulder saying "Really love you, and I want all that too" he pulled him to him saying "But I loved your Mom first, we've missed all these years together, she doesn't remember the years we had yet, but she feels what we have with each other, and right now all she knows for sure is that I'm hers" he told him

"I guess I'm jealous" he smiled up at his Dad

"No need to be I have enough love for both of you believe, and well your Mom has too she just needs to find her way again, but you guys arguing isn't going to make that process easy is it?"

"Promise me you'll find time for me?" he asked

"I promise, I'll find time for you son" he kissed his head saying "But you know you're going to have to apologise to your Mom yeah?"

"Yeah" he smiled giving a classic Mercy eye roll making his Dad laugh

"So go then" he let go of him saying as he watched him leave the room

He gave them time to talk before he finally had to break things up "It's almost time for me to go" he walked into the kitchen saying to see Mercy and SJ cuddling "Now that's what I like to see" he smiled at them making his way over to them

"Do you have to go?" Mercy asked "Can we come?" she want up to him asking, Sam was smiling before she got there, he knew his answer

"Sure you can come, I'd love you guys to meet the family" he smiled looking between them

"Pack Sam" she told him as they ran off to do just that

Sam got on his phone and called his parents, telling them he was going to be late home and he was bringing company, they were excited but not prepared, booked flights and four hours later they were on a plane travelling through the night to get to Lima

 **Lima**

 **The Jones Residence**

All three jittery for the revelations ahead, it was early morning too early for his siblings to have got to Lima yet and he didn't want this introduction to be bitty "Should we go see your parents first, they'd have got the message already from Florida that you guys have gone, I don't want them to panic?" he asked SJ and him throwing their bags in the cab as he spoke

"This is all your call" she told him, he looked at SJ for confirmation before he gave the Jones family address, and they sat back in the cab thinking as they went on their journey

"I've never been here" SJ told his Dad as the cab slowed "Granddad won't be pleased"

"Granddad won't be pleased with me, not you guys" he smiled at him saying

"No really Granddad won't be pleased" SJ told him

"Why?" he asked, the lines in his forehead becoming apparent with concern, before he could get an answer the cab came to a standstill outside the Jones residence

"Not as I imagined it" SJ commented as Sam opened the door for them and collected the bags from the boot

"Here goes shit" Mercy said walking towards the front door, giving Sam further concern., she knocked the door rather than her usual walk in he remembered her doing, and stood looking at it excited but apprehensive

"Do you remember the house Mercy?" he asked as they stood waiting

"No" she said, he knew from her voice something was wrong but it was too late to ask someone was coming to the door

"Cedes" her Dad said shocked as he opened the door "How did you..." he started to ask trailing off as he looked further and saw Sam standing by the bags "Sam of course" his face turning to fucked off as soon as he saw him "And you" he looked at SJ saying. Mercy didn't wait for the invite she stepped into the house looking around no expression on her face

"So this is home?" she asked ignoring whatever her Dad was saying

"Hello Mr Jones" Sam said giving his hand, which her Dad didn't take, he shrugged his shoulders and followed Mercy in, SJ walked in in-between them, they stood awkwardly in the hallway as Mercy looked around, trying to remember or remembering he wasn't sure "You alright" he touched her shoulder asking

"No" she looked at him saying "I expected to remember something, anything but there's nothing"

"That's fine" he pulled her to him saying

"Why have you come here Cedes?" her Dad asked making her spin round to look at him, the expression on her face no longer soft as she flashed Sam's hand off her shoulder

"Because this is where my so called family live, the family that are too ashamed of me and my son to allow us back, do you ever think things would have progressed much quicker had you ever just allowed me back?" she snapped at him, Sam stood watching, this was not the Mercy he knew, she loved her Dad

"You know the reason that didn't happen" he shouted back at her, and that wasn't the way he spoke to his daughter either, ever

"The reason's nearly 21 years old Dad, you have one grandchild and you deny him because I'm not married to his dad?"

"Because his Dad is a married man Cedes, there's a difference"

"Oh I see" she leaned her head saying Sam knew more was coming "So do you still go to that self-righteous church were everyone thinks I'm dead?"

"They don't think you're Dead, they think you're sick, and no we don't"

"So we lost out on everything and it wasn't even worth it, is that what you're telling me?"

"Look I did what I thought was best at the time, Sam was married, nobody knew anything and everything could go on as planned, his wife was pregnant after all" he almost shouted at her

"So was I" she screamed back "And whoever fucking his wife is can swing"

"Mrs Evans, that's who she is" Her Dad said sarcastically

"Mrs Evans?" SJ asked "It didn't even click" he looked at his Dad saying, before looking up the stairs to see his Grandma's feet coming down

"What didn't click?"

"Sam" Mrs Jones walked down the stairs saying looking further to see Mercy and SJ and screamed running to hug them

"Grandma" SJ said a cry in his voice "I missed you"

Sam stood watching a completely different reaction to Mercy's Mom seeing them as she hugged, cried and stroked her daughter and grandson, looking at her Dad he knew he needed to ask the question again "So Mr Jones, Mrs Evans, what didn't click?"

"Come sit down" Mrs Jones told them as he hugged Sam before grabbing hold of SJ again and finding a seat where they could sit together, she obviously loved her grandson "So Sam" she said looking at Mercy "Cedes doesn't know this because Dee doesn't like me to mention it" she looked at her husband saying "But Sam knows the story" she smiled at him "Mercy found out she was pregnant and told me about it, well I caught her upstairs in the bathroom being sick, she didn't want to see the disappointment in her Dad's face so she asked me to tell him in four days time, you guys had just announced your wedding and she didn't want to be around, so she told me she was leaving" she looked at Mercy saying "She doesn't remember any of this" she told him

"But you do" Dee snapped at her

"No more lies, I've wanted this for a while now" she snapped back at him

"Mercy ran off, she packed some things in her car and drove off, next thing we hear there's been an accident, of course we rush to the hospital and everything, we were there day and night. After about two months the doctors finally told us she'd lost her memory and it may not ever come back" she looked at SJ rubbing his back as she spoke, more for her own comfort than his "So one day, while Cedes was out of it, I went to the hospital just to sit with her, but I found Mrs Evans, as in your wife sitting in the room with her, I was going to go in but she was having a moment so I left her to it I stood outside the room. I couldn't believe my ears, she was telling Mercy she'd meant for her to die, she'd stepped into her path in the hope of killing her because she'd known given the choice Sam would have chosen her" she cried as she relived the event, wiping her face she looked at Sam and carried on "I walked in the room at that point, vowed that Cedes would have nothing to do with the two of you and asked her never to visit again"

Sam had been standing listening to this, unable to comprehend the lengths to which Rachel had gone to, to get to him, he'd been oblivious to all of this going on behind his back, he was angry, sad and hurt "So Rachel did this?"

"Yeah" she looked at Sam saying "I wanted to go to the police but she swore she'd say Mercy tried to run her over, we had so much going on then too, so I left it" she wiped her tears saying "I went into her when I finally got her outside but her Dad came along and laid into me big time, Dee just happened to be coming into the hospital at the time and they ended up fighting in the car park" she laughed "They moved over by you guys days later"

"So what her Dad's knew too?"

"Nobody knew about the baby, even her Dad didn't at that time; but that she was alive, yep they knew"

"This feels like it's been one big conspiracy covering nearly 22 years, I don't even know these people you're talking about, but they've been around me all this time" he almost shouted as Mercy grabbed his hand calming him down

"She failed" she told him as he lifted his hand and kissed hers "Because we believe in our love"

"But the fact still remains that we have a ill..."

"Grandson Dad, that you have a grandson" she spat at him "But he'll be alright his Dad's around now so, we got this" she looked at SJ saying with a smile, as everyone stood in silence. Sam stood angry inside for the way Mr Jones was treating his son, but he also knew the opportunity to say something was not now, he stood red faced with lips pressed together

"Yeah" her Dad finally smiled at SJ saying "But you're supposed to have a Dad too and I'm sorry" he looked at Mercy saying "I was trying to do the right thing for everyone, I thought that would have been to have you home, but when we found out about young Sam here, that was just an impossible situation for me, and I guess somewhere in there I blamed you for me not being able to have my little girl home" he looked at Sam saying, his chest breathing heavy with regret "All I can say is that I'm sorry about my decision, I let my position in the church overshadow my love for my family, it was wrong" he looked at them saying, his face telling his shame, the only thing left was for this grown man to cry

"At last" Mrs Jones said rolling her eyes "It didn't kill you did it?" she looked at Dee saying as he walked up to Mercy his eyes begging for forgiveness

"I want Sam to have a family I want my family and I guess I love you guys, so of course I forgive you" she looked at Sam saying "What do you think?" she asked him

"I want my family too Mom" he smiled hugging his grandma

"Could we just call him SJ, this is getting so confusing for me" Sam laughed breaking the ice

"Could you ever think about going back to calling me Dad?" Dee looking up at him asking

"I think you've always been my Dad, I've always loved your daughter, you know this?"

"Thanks, and I guess it hurt so much because I've always thought you'd be that son I never had" he smiled at Sam saying "Cedes" he looked at his daughter with sad eyes "Maybe not just yet after everything I've done, but one day could we get back to me being your Dad?"

"Dad" she looked at him for a while not saying anything verbally but their eyes were talking to each other making him smile. When she'd said enough to him she turned to her Mom "Can I look around the house, see if it helps?" she asked

"Sure" her Mom got up saying

"It's fine Sam will take me" she brushed her Mom off saying

"I'll take Sam.. I mean SJ round the garden" her Mom grabbed his hand saying "And when we get back the Jones family will be restored" she smiled patting Sam's chest as she walked past him

They went from room to room trying to find memories but nothing, she'd just say "No" and walk to the next eventually they got to her bedroom, Sam had to explain pictures on the walls, on the bedside stand, she didn't remember anything and actually got angry about it picking her slippers up and throwing them across the room with frustration "I thought this would be the key" she shouted tears in her eyes

"I know" he grabbed hold of her saying "But you only figured me out yesterday, give yourself some time" he hugged her saying "We have a life time to make memories and remember things" he told her as she rested on his chest

"You play the guitar" she looked up telling him

"Yeah I do, I haven't for a while I might add, a long while actually, but yes" he smiled

"Will you, for me?" she lifted off him asking

"Yeah but I don't have a..."

"You keep one in my closet" she ran to it telling him, he didn't light up the fact that she remembered that, he just let everything happen naturally like SJ had told him, to stop her from panicking and trying too hard, he smiled as she gave him the guitar

"What do you want to hear?" he asked sitting on her bed

"Something sexy" she walked over to the door saying, locking it and walking back towards him

"Okay" he smiled as he tuned the thing up and started strumming **'No Return' by Jake Miller** watching her as he sung, for all intents and purposes this woman giving it large in front of him was his Mercy she was singing seducing him and he was loving it, this was the beginning of love making, _that's why the doors locked_ he smiled to himself as he sung. He didn't get to the end of the song before he put his guitar down and grabbed for her, she was ready, she lunged towards him making him fall back on the bed, she started stripping him almost immediately, taking control of the situation, all he could think was that he loved this version of Mercy, she was almost pinning him down on the bed. He let her he wasn't even up to fighting this he held his arms up to let her take his top off and helped with his trousers as she straggled over him, he grabbed her breasts at first but when she started to give herself to him hard he let them go and grabbed her hips forcing her to take him fully, she didn't scream this time but her eyes closed and her bottom lip was being held by her teeth, there was fire burning alright, he was well past the point of no return, he closed his eyes and envisaged heaven

"Sam" she finally said in the silent room, he opened his eyes to see her looking at him "I know I love you" she told him before a whimper followed by her shaking body

"I know I love you too Mercy" he gasped grabbing her hips hard and holding her down on him until all life had left his body "Should we be doing this in your parents home?" he asked giggling as they lay resting

"Hell yes" she laughed, they lay there for a while longer before they got washed up and went to join the others, her parents looking at Sam non-verbally asking if anything had prompted memory

"Some" Sam half mouthed to them, ' _she remembered we needed to make love'_ he thought "I play the guitar" he told them

"Breakfast" Mom Jones announced as they all went towards the kitchen, Sam pulled SJ to sit next to him, knowing he'd be feeling left out just now and kissed his head, SJ looked at him smiling

"What?" Sam asked him

"I liked that, I'm just not used to having a Dad" he giggled

"Aarrr" Mercy said at the sight giggling herself

They sat had breakfast, laughed and joked through it "I hate to break this up but hopefully it's the first day of the rest of our lives, my parents don't know anything about this one" he looked at Mercy and SJ saying "I've asked all the family to get there for 10 this morning so we'll need to make our way over to break the good news" he smiled "Sorry to eat and run" he got up saying "I'll help with the washing up next time" he laughed "We need to go" he looked at Mercy and SJ saying as they jumped up and followed him,

"Use the car" Dee told him as he made to get his phone out

"Thanks" he smiled grabbing the keys as they went round giving kisses and hugs on the way out

 **The Evans Residence**

Sam didn't feel nervous until their car pulled up at the front of the house, he couldn't see movement in the house and Mercy and SJ had been asking him questions all the way over keeping his attention off the pending introductions "Right" he said jumping out the car, he looked around the drive to see his brother and sister were there and hoped that they'd brought the children with them "Here we go, sorry if you get too many hugs" he smiled as he opened the door to let them in "Guys we're here" he shouted

"In the kitchen" his Mom shouted "Sorry so many of us breakfast as gone ove..." she tailored off as she spun round to see Sam standing there with Mercy beside him "Mercy" she gasped holding onto the sink "Sorry" she looked at Sam saying as she steadied herself "Sorry" she walked towards them saying while everyone else sat looking at this person they also thought was Mercy "Mercy?" she asked looking at her

"Yes it's me" she smiled "Mrs Evans" she smiled walking towards her

"Mercy" she almost screamed as she grabbed her to her, Stevie and Stacy were high octane screaming, tears immediately springing from everywhere

"You know we thought you were..."

"Yes I know but I'm not" she grabbed hold of Mr Evans saying

"Dad" Sam said loud enough for everyone to hear "Everyone" he smiled "This is Sam, our son" he said that last word ringing in the room

"Your son?" his brother asked his face red with excitement

"Yes Stevie our son, I met him less than a week ago" he said ruffling SJ's hair as Stevie came towards him hugging, just before Stacy fell into him

"How old are you?" Stacy asked as she pulled away

"21 in two weeks" he smiled as he noticed his Granddad just standing there looking at him "Granddad" he looked at him saying

"You look just like Sammy did when he was your age, they were ready for life together" he told him pointing at Mercy and Sam "Welcome to the family" he pulled him away from Stacy saying as his three cousins came forward introducing themselves

Mercy and Sam's Mom had just about stopped talking long enough for Sam to finally look at her and tell her who Sam was "Mom" he got her attention saying "This is our son Sam, we call him SJ to stop the confusion" he told her his eyes full of tears as he looked at his Mom who had already been crying for Mercy, her face glowed before tears came and somehow she cried even harder for SJ, looking at him smiling as their eyes met

"Hi" she said before grabbing hold of him

Stacy and Stevie went over to attack Mercy seeing their Mom leave her alone, questions being asked she just couldn't answer

"Guy's no questions for Mercy she doesn't remember anything about her life before the accident, and SJ and I want her to remember naturally so no prompting either" Sam told his family as they moved the conversations into the kitchen

They sat talking, took a family ride around the grounds, stopped to introduce the animals, had a picnic for lunch and took some time out at the lake before Sam finally fell asleep in Mercy's lap "He's tired, we all are really, we haven't slept for two days" Mercy told everyone

"Let's get back you guys can rest up before dinner" Ann told them watching Mercy kiss Sam awake, her heart skipping a beat at watching her son wake up with a smile on his face, knowing he was finally in the arms of the woman he'd always loved. They made their way back to the house and went directly to bed, Mercy and Sam to Sam's room and SJ in the den with his cousins, he'd been put in pride of place by his them seeing as he was the oldest grandchild

 **Sam's Bedroom**

Sam hadn't had time to move anything before Mercy got there, as soon as she walked into the room she was looking at stuff, he was following her around throwing things into draws and stuff but she'd just follow behind him taking them out and looking anyway "Who's this?" she asked as she looked at an album

He walked towards her looking over her shoulder to see she was looking at a picture of Rachel and him taken on the day before their wedding when she'd turned up at his stag night club and insisted they finish the night together, he laughed as he remembered Blaine being super pissed at the invasion "That's Rachel" he told her

"So what's the picture doing in your room if you guys are done?" she spun round asking him

"We're done, there's nothing going on between us" he looked at her saying "I just haven't got round to removing that"

"Are things really finished between you guys?" she stared at him asking

"Yes totally" he pulled the album out of her hand and threw it in the bin

"I'm not sleeping in here with stuff from your wife all over the place, did she sleep in this bed?"

"Funny enough no she never did" he said grabbing a bag off the handle at the back of his door, she sat watching as he went round the room removing anything that faintly linked to his life with Rachel, even school pictures, life with Mercy was going to be very different, she'd got a hard shell. As soon as he finished he announced he was taking the rubbish out and left the room, Mercy stripped off and went to the bathroom, she run the bath and stood waiting to get in humming a song that felt familiar to her, from nowhere suddenly she knew the words and started singing

 _ **"Stand By Me" by Ben E King**_

 _ **Mercy**_

 _When the night has come, and the land is dark, and the moon is the only light we'll see  
No, I won't be afraid, oh, I won't be afraid, just as long as you stand, stand by me  
So darlin', darlin' stand by me, oh, stand by me, oh, stand, stand by me, stand by me_

Sam walked in hearing the familiar song, and stood in the middle of his room remembering, the day they made their vows to each other, they were sitting in his bathroom waiting for his Dad to leave the house so they could sneak out, having had a make out session, without permission, in the house. He must have been cooking or something because they were in the bathroom for the longest time listening to him talking to himself and singing 'Stand by me' at full throttle, laughing about something and banging about until finally the door banged and they were able to move. They moved from the floor to the bath and sat in it fully dressed in each others arms talking finally breaking out into that song telling each other they were there for life, he pushed the door open and sung his part making her smile as he walked in

 _ **Sam**  
If the sky that we look upon, should tumble and fall, or the mountain should crumble to the sea  
I won't cry, I won't cry, no, I won't shed a tear, just as long as you stand, stand by me  
And darlin', darlin' stand by me, oh, stand by me, oh, stand now, stand by me, stand by me  
 **Both**  
Darlin', darlin' stand by me, oh, stand by me, oh, stand now, stand by me, stand by me  
Whenever you're in trouble, won't you stand by me? oh, stand by me, won't you stand now?  
Oh, stand, stand by me, when all of our friends is gone _

"We made promises to each other" she told him when they finished, by which time he'd stripped off himself and was sitting in the bath with her

"We did" he said stroking her back before pulling her down to lay on him

They woke up cold in the bath, jumped out dried off and got into bed to cuddle and get warm, of course keeping warm led to other things and sleep came very late in the afternoon. Life was good for a week, Mercy and SJ went about getting to know their family, Sam went on a few interviews leaving them to their own devices and suddenly it was time for them to go back home. Mercy really didn't want to, but she had the house to look after and all her care was there, SJ's life was there too and he'd revealed he'd got a girlfriend in the background he felt he needed to start taking a bit more serious now his Mom was otherwise occupied. They did the commuting thing for a few weeks before Sam got himself a job at the local printers and then getting away got a bit more complicated, Mercy cried a lot but SJ seemed to cry more he was like a baby, he craved his family and his Dad, he'd bonded. They'd visit Lima more than he'd visit them, then suddenly one day, nearly six months later, Mercy announced that the best thing might be for them to move to Lima, SJ wasn't getting as serious as he thought he would about that girl making the decision easier.

 **6 Months Later**

Sam was excited, Mercy and SJ were coming to Lima for a month, he'd sorted out the small unused cottage on their land for them to have some privacy, brought all new furniture, appliances and completed maintenance, they were going to live like a family for a month, try before you buy type thing for all of them. His phone buzzed as he grabbed it knowing it was Mercy making more plans for the visit "Hello" he smiled down the phone

"Dude" he heard looking at the phone face to see it was Puck

"Dude" he smiled down the phone "Everything going well for you" he asked

"I'm fine, we're thinking about maybe living together again officially"

"Really?" Sam said trying to sound surprised

"Really Dude she's different, I'm different, maybe it's the disappearance of the wedding band, but things have changed for the better for us, or it could be because all the secrets and lies are out"

"Good for you" Sam laughed down the phone "So what else is up?"

"Well I was calling to tell you that Quinn went for another visit yesterday and the lady came, but she told her that Mercedes was busy, she wasn't too clear about things" he told Sam with concern "I just thought I'd tell you, plus I finally told her about you and ex-wife and she's insisting on us passing through Lima on the way back so we'll land tomorrow" he paused "Don't worry she's much more relaxed now and with we know who out the picture she's good" he laughed "We're bringing the children, you must meet them"

"That would be great" he laughed "Call me when you land" he told him, Sam stood holding the phone smiling Puck knew nothing about Mercy and him being back together and even less about SJ, none of he crew did, the surprise was going to be huge

"Will do" Puck told him closing the call

It seemed like seconds after their conversation Puck sent the sap saying he was hitting Lima the following day Mike, Artie, Blaine and Kurt jumped on the wagon talking about a boys night at the pool hall, he smiled and agreed knowing there was no way he was leaving Mercy at home, he'd got his opportunity to tell the guys all together about finding his family

Puck landed around 4pm Mercy and SJ had got in at 10 that morning and they loved the house, SJ had gone off about 3 to go see his Grandparents Evans and spend some time with his cousins, then his Grandparents Jones were collecting him later early evening for dinner getting him back when he was ready, he'd arranged a social evening with his cousins and got back quite early for the evening out

 **The Cottage**

"In a bit" Mercy walked in to hear him saying on the phone

"Who was that?"

"Some friends we're going to the pool hall, dare I ask if you want to come?"

"Let me get dressed" she looked down at herself saying

"You're fine" he smiled at her saying looking at her wearing jeans and a purposely scruffy T-shirt that looked like it was ready to be ripped off rough sex style, not that that hadn't happened several times already but it was going to happen again soon.

"This is for you" she laughed

"As I said you're fine" he laughed "Come on" he pulled her to him saying "I've only got my vest on" he looked down at himself smiling at her "It's just the pool hall, a hangout"

"Okay" she laughed "But if everyone's dressed up in that damn place you're bringing me back home" she giggled walking beside him

"Seriously" he looked at her saying "If you're there, I'll never mind going back home"

 **The Pool Hall**

"Hi Guys" he walked into the hall saying, a game of pool going already as everyone waved or shouted back at him, Blaine was the first to stop in his tracks and as it was his shot everyone else quickly noticed and stopped to look at what he was looking at

"Mercedes" he gasped before a smile formed on his face

"Guys I know you know this is Mercy, but she doesn't know you, so introduce yourselves" he shouted across the hall, Mercy grabbed hold of his hand as the guys came towards her, smiling politely until she saw Quinn and walked over to her

"Quinn" she smiled "What are you doing here?" she asked puzzled

"I'm with Puck remember I introduced you to Puck a while ago?"

"Yeah" she said looking back at Puck with a smile

"So you know Sam?"

"We all went to school together, you too"

"Lucky" she said pointing at Quinn looking at Sam

"Lucky" he confirmed "We were looking at some photos in her bedroom, we were in one" he told Quinn

"A lifetime ago" Quinn smiled at Mercy saying

"Very much so" Mercy looked at her untrustingly before looking back at Sam, smiling when he gave her their look

The guys chatted and played while Mercy and Quinn sat chatting, Mercy's eyes on Sam more than her ears were on the conversation with Quinn "Sam" Puck said when the gaming had slowed down "Quinn needs to speak to you" he told him as they walked over to where Mercy and Quinn were sitting, the others followed because they were nosy.

"Grab some drinks" Mike shouted back at Blaine and Kurt as they got to the booth, eventually everyone settled in with their drinks before giving Quinn the floor

"It's just great to see you guys again" she said for maybe the 100th time since walking into the place "And I'm absolutely ashamed of myself for helping to keep the fact that Mercy was alive a secret" she looked down saying

"I'd like to say it's fine but..." Artie trailed off at Puck's shut the fuck up look

"I didn't feel like I could say anything she had me over a bit of a barrel back then" she looked at Puck saying, he nodded her encouragement and she carried on "She'd found out that I'd slept with Biff behind Puck's back and threatened to tell him" she smiled at Puck nervously saying "It caused our breakup, having to live with that lie I mean, and I'm sure me putting everything on the table put our relationship back on track" she grabbed his hand saying

"I took her with me to get the pregnancy test that day, I know she said she was pregnant" she looked at Sam saying "Actually it was me that was pregnant for Biff, I got rid of it, she was never pregnant she just used my stick"

"Why did you let her do that?" Sam asked "I thought we were friends"

"Because she was the only one who knew about Biff and what I'd done I just wanted her to keep my secret so I told that lie for her. I didn't know she was going to go as far as she did with it, I so hate her for what she did to Mercy"

"What you mean you knew she caused the accident?" Sam asked

"She caused the accident?" she gasped holding her chest "No I didn't know that, I just knew she wanted you"

"She stood in front of the damn car" Kurt said, a light coming on for him as everyone looked at him

"You knew that?" Sam asked shocked

"I know she told me about a near death experience she had, apparently she stepped out in front of a car that swerved, hit a tree and killed the driver, this was before Mercedes' accident"

"That woman was serious about her shit" Puck laughed annoyed "She needs locking up"

"She told you before the accident?" Sam asked standing up "We have work to do" he looked around the table saying, just then the door opened

"Oh" Puck smiled, his persona totally changing to relaxed and responsible "This is Alex and Amy our children" his eyes sparkling with pride as he spoke, everyone got up to greet the children before they went off to play pool

"We have a..." Sam started to say before he looked up to see Adrian and Mark walk through the door "Guys, what are you doing here?" he asked smiling "These are my nephews" he told the group "Adrian and Mark" he smiled

"Shooting some pool" Adrian said cheekily

"They're Alex and Amy" Puck said smiling at them as he pointed to his children "Get familiar, they're like family" he laughed

"As I was saying" Sam grabbed everyone's attention again

"Dad" SJ walked in saying everyone looked around to see a brown skinned Sam looking back at them

"As I've been trying to say this is our son Sam or SJ as he's recently been named" he smiled with pride

"You guys have a child?" Blaine and Quinn said together everyone else was winded for the revelation

"He's a 22 year old man, and I've missed out on everything because of Berry, I want my pound of flesh"

"Cooter's on it, this shit has to go down" Puck informed him "He'll give you the name of a brilliant lawyer"

They got familiar again, the children got to know each other, and a while later everyone left with a smile on their face, Mike having announced that Tina and he were finally making things legal for them and Artie finding someone to call his own in Julie, a school teacher

"I'll get straight onto Cooter, he'll call you" Puck told Sam as everyone parted company

Having already proved her mental health was purely acting out, Sam got Quinn and Kurt to provide statements about what had been said all those years ago, got Mercy's Mom to relay the conversation she'd heard in the hospital and Mercy finally got her day in court, faced with Rachel for the first time in 24 years, a light came on for her, right there in court, when she finally heard Rachel speak

"I remember you" Mercy stood up in court saying when she heard her speak "I know you" she pointed at her saying "I told you about my baby and you told me, you had no choice, I had to die" Rachel eventually burst out crying admitting her wrong and got her guilty verdict, it had taken nearly 25 years for the truth to expose itself, and finally all the lies and secrets had come to the surface and somehow life had managed to restore itself to how it should be

A month later Mercy and SJ moved to Lima with Sam, SJ' had found himself a new girlfriend; Layn, who was around so often she was like another child. Things had come to a natural pause following the move, hearing and everything, it was time to celebrate and everyone had flown in for the weekend, they were calling it the family get together, so they were celebrating at Sparkles the karaoke club. They'd sung several songs before the guys got up to sing their usual lad stuff, suddenly the mood changed romance was in the air Quinn and Mercy sat holding their faces as they realised what she were being asked, when Sam started singing

 _ **"Endless Love" by Blue**_

 _ **Sam**_

 _The first time I saw you, I never thought I would catch your eye, you look so amazing, but you was beautiful deep inside, I needed to know you,_ _I needed you in my life, something inside me told me, "There's my future wife"  
So I'm going down, down on my knees afraid of the answer, of what it could be, my heart's in a vault, and you are the key I wanna give you all of me_

 **Chorus** **All the Guys:** Don't you know, you're so beautiful? Could it be too much to ask for your hand in love?  
Don't you know, you're all I need and more? So would it be too much to ask for your endless love? Endless love

Quinn went into shock mode when she realised Puck was singing the same thing to her, the two girls sat holding hands faces glowing "Yes, Yes, Yes" she said as he sung, Mercy couldn't retain her tears, she couldn't speak

 _ **Puck**  
I woke up this morning As the luckiest man alive, it's been like years now and you're still by my side, I gotta be honest I see our children in your eyes I've been thinking sometime now, that you should, you should be my wife  
So I'm going down, down on my knees afraid of the answer, of what it could be,my heart's in a vault, and you are the key I wanna give you all of me  
_

 _ **Chorus Puck & Sam**_

 **Sam:** I'm standing at the alter in a hot mess, I see you walking down the aisle in that white dress, you smile and look at me, now I can hardly breathe, Yeah, baby  
 **Puck:** We take the rings and now it's time for us to take our vows, We're in our moment and we really do deserve this now, and I could really cry, As he says, "Kiss the bride"

 **All:** Don't you know, You're so beautiful?, **Sam & Puck: **Could it be too much to ask for your hand in love?  
Don't you know, You're so beautiful? Could it be too much to ask for your hand in love?  
Don't you know, You're all I need and more? So would it be too much to ask for your endless love? Endless love

"So what do you say Mercy Jones will you marry me?" he knelt in front of her asking, as she sat watching Puck do the same to Quinn

"I... I" she looked up at him saying

"She will Dad" SJ came from the crowd saying diving forward to hug his parents

"I will" she smiled "We will" she looked at SJ saying

"And so will she" Alex shouted at his parents, they said nothing just smiled at each other and kissed as the crowd cheered

"Not bad for two fly white guys" Mercy laughed as Puck and Sam looked at each other

"Not bad at all" Sam smiled pulling her to him as he stood up and hugged her, she still hadn't remembered much about their life together back then, but right now he was happy, they were making every second count.

The End


End file.
